Over-40s have until noon today to book vaccination
OVER-40s have until noon today to book vaccination appointments.
The deadline aims to prevent wastage, efficiently use vaccine supplies and to enable borders to reopen on schedule.
Nearly 60,000 doses have now been administered, said Dr Nicola Brink, director of Public Health, which is pivotal in allowing a date to be given for the final phase of the exit from lockdown framework.
Phase one of the vaccination programme is expected to reach completion by 12 June, meaning people aged 50 and over, those aged 18 to 65 years at moderate risk, clinically extremely vulnerable individuals, plus health and front line workers will have had both doses.
So far 92% of over-50s and 59% of the total population have had at least one dose.
‘That really is a phenomenal response to the vaccination programme,’ Dr Brink said.
By 1 July all over-18s should have been offered at least one dose.
Dr Brink said it was hard to determine what would be regarded as herd immunity.
‘Modelling an exact number is difficult, we’d certainly like to have at least over 70% but preferably far higher than that.’
Dr Brink said staying on schedule helped to keep wastage levels low.
‘When we last looked, wastage was 0.01%, so we want to use our vaccine up,’ she said.
Doses are defrosted once appointments are scheduled.
‘And we want to try and use the appropriate vaccine for the appropriate age group and vaccinate as many people as possible.’
No date has been given for when Moderna vaccines will be used, nor were statistics available for numbers of people declining their invitation to the Community Vaccination Centre.
States of Guernsey chief executive Paul Whitfield recognised some people might be delaying their appointments in the hope of being offered their vaccine of choice.
‘But even if you delay, we can’t guarantee that,’ Mr Whitfield said.
Appropriate vaccines are given for age groups, in line with JCVI guidance.
‘Most of all, if you delay your vaccine you delay the whole programme as a community, and that could delay our ability to move to the new travel rules.’
Those abusing call handlers were reprimanded.
‘Some people still haven’t twigged we’re dealing with a serious global crisis.’
Residents of Sark and Alderney must still travel to Guernsey for their vaccines, given the fragility of the vaccine, which in transit may become less effective.
Sark’s Chief Pleas is paying for its residents’ passage, while Guernsey pays for Alderney residents to travel.
n Over-40s can book a vaccine appointment by calling 220006 before noon today.
