‘Vaccination did save lives in second wave’
VACCINATION prevented serious illness and there was only one death in the Bailiwick’s second Covid-19 wave.
There have been 14 confirmed Covid-related deaths, one of which was from the second wave, from 252 total identified positive cases in the first wave and 511 in the second.
‘Undoubtedly we’ve seen the efficacy of the vaccination programme,’ said Dr Nicola Brink, director of Public Health.
‘You’ve just got to look at the number of people affected in the older age group, but also the absence of mortality in those groups. So undoubtedly vaccination is having a huge positive effect.’
As the last priority group for vaccinations, young adults may be disadvantaged if attempting to travel should vaccine passports be required.
But the aim of the vaccination programme is to prevent Covid-related morbidity and mortality, she said.
‘I think we will get to whole population immunisation. But, going back to our experience in the second wave where we had one death compared to 13 confirmed deaths in the first wave, we need to immunise those people that need it clinically.’
Dr Brink said the Bailiwick has had an extremely good uptake of vaccine compared to other jurisdictions.
‘We’re having an incredibly positive response from our community which bodes very well for our future herd immunity.’
Vaccines are being administered as soon as there is supply to offer protection as soon as possible.
Civil Contingencies Authority chairman Deputy Peter Ferbrache confirmed that the Bailiwick has had an extremely good uptake of vaccine compared to elsewhere, noting the local population is generally older than that of the UK.
With group six of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation priority list being catered for, once complete there are three more groupings to go before immunisation is offered to the whole population.
Group six is made up of people aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality.
