UK government providing Covid-19 vaccines for free
GUERNSEY’S Covid-19 vaccines are being provided for free by the UK government, the States of Guernsey has confirmed.
More than 57,000 doses of vaccine have now been administered locally, meaning that 34% of people over 16 have had their first dose and 35% have had both.
The UK has been providing the Bailiwick with its vaccines, because the country has large-scale buying power, meaning it can buy the doses at a better price.
‘The vaccination medication and associated distribution to the Bailiwick is provided by the UK government at no cost to the Bailiwick,’ a States of Guernsey spokesman said.
‘This is in line with the approach taken to providing vaccines to all Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.’
However, the Bailiwick is shouldering some of the costs.
‘For the Bailiwick, budget costs to date for the programme of administering the vaccination of cohorts one to 10 [health care workers, vulnerable people and those over 55] with two doses are £2.75m.,’ the spokesman said.
‘These costs include capital costs, £420k required for the commissioning of the Community Vaccination Centre, pharmaceutical grade storage for the vaccinations and set-up of data management and call centres.
‘Revenue costs of £2.3m. include both pay and non-pay costs and funding for primary care practices. Pay costs include States of Guernsey staff required for running the community vaccination centre, the virtual call centres and project administration.’
Guernsey’s vaccine programme, run largely from the vaccination centre at Beau Sejour, has now reached islanders in their late 20s and there is confidence that all adults will have received their first jab by the start of July, when border restrictions are expected to relax.
In terms of the number of doses given per 100 people, Guernsey is at 87, as of Monday morning.
This compares with 83 doses per 100 people in the UK as of Saturday and 86 doses in Jersey as of last Thursday.
It is estimated the UK has spent about £12bn on vaccines, with the BBC estimating that each dose of Pfizer cost £15, £25 per Moderna vaccine and £3 for each AstraZeneca dose.
