Vaccinations to start next week

President of Health & Social Care Deputy Al Brouard confirmed at today's press briefing that he has signed the necessary regulations to designate the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use in the Bailiwick.

This came into effect on Wednesday 9 December.

'The first consignment of the vaccine was received in Guernsey this week and this means the first roll-out of the vaccination in line with the advice from the UK can begin.'

He said this demonstrates some light at the end of the tunnel in our fight against the coronavirus.

The vaccine freezer is up and running in Guernsey now at a cool -79C.

Vaccines come in packs of 900 and there are only so many times it can be moved in and out of storage to maintain its effectiveness.

975 vaccines arrived in Guernsey yesterday.

Also, once it comes out of the freezer, it must be administered within five days.

Beau Sejour has been selected as the mass Covid-19 vaccination centre, an unpopular decision with many sports teams which need the large facility.

A second, smaller, vaccination centre has been set up in the Emma Ferbrache room of the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Chief minister Deputy Peter Ferbrache said: 'Although the vaccination programme will start shortly, it will take time and we have absolutely no intent in releasing or relaxing in any way our travel restrictions.

'The people in the Bailiwick have been so sensible and balanced that we don't want to un-do all of the good work that has taken place.'

He said the return of students had gone smoothly without problems and the Bailiwick currently only has two known active cases.

Former Health and Social Care president Deputy Heidi Soulsby, who is now the vice-president of Policy & Resources, tweeted just before the briefing began: 'Stay to the end for something a bit special.'

An economic overview from the pandemic will be available on gov.gg after the briefing.

'By the end of this year our economy will have contracted by 6.5%, that's a big percentage but it's better than those around us and further afield,' Deputy Ferbrache said.

'We are predicting that our economy will bounce back 2.5% to 5%.'