By the end of
the first day, Friday, February 5, 2021, almost 100 Anguillians had bravely bared their shoulder to take the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine which was released at the Princess Alexandra Hospital on that date. Since then, several hundred other persons have been vaccinated.
The first batch of 8,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in Anguilla the day before from London. It is another gift from the United Kingdom Government which previously greatly assisted the island with various facilities and services to deal with the virus. Even at the last minute of a ceremony to launch the vaccine, the event and the distribution of the vaccine were held up by the UK Government, in consultation with its manufacturers and the Anguilla Government.
The delay was to ensure that the vaccine supplies were safely stored at the right temperature, and were ready to be injected in the people of Anguilla. This precaution was highly commended by the many persons registered for the treatment. When permission was eventually given, the gathering on the hospital’s grounds was briefly addressed by Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Foster Rogers, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority of Anguilla, Mrs. Maeza Demis-Adams.
The first persons to be administered the vaccine were the Governor, Deputy Governor, Members of the Anguilla House of Assembly and health personnel, followed by members of the public. The “COVID -19 jabs”, as the injections are called, were performed by nurses in full view of all persons – as well as a multiplicity of cameras operated by various media houses.
Before the start of the COVID-19 jabs, it was understood that almost two thousand persons had registered for the vaccine. That number is now being increased as many persons who adopted a wait-and-see position, are now registered for the treatment. The vaccines are now being continued with hotel workers and elderly folk being among the second batch of persons to be treated with the AstraZeneca medication which is to be administered in two doses over a period of time.
