By: Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Friday 23rd April 2021) — Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws warned at the NEOC COVID-19 Briefing on Wednesday 21st April 2021 that the Federation’s current supply of 41,600 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine must be fully administered by the end of June 2021. “Persons saying ‘I’m gonna wait’ — please note that the shelf life of the vaccines is quite short and they must be utilized on or before the end of June this year,” she said.
The Federation received 20,000 doses initially and an additional 21,600 on 7th April. As of the afternoon of 21st April, some 11,848 doses had been administered since the rollout began on 22 February 2021, covering 35.86% of the target population — 8,935 doses administered in St. Kitts and 2,913 in Nevis. The aim is to vaccinate 70% of the adult population, which the CMO hopes to achieve by approximately September 2021.
Dr. Laws emphasised the vaccine’s efficacy and breadth of protection: “Once you are fully vaccinated you will have an 83% risk reduction in picking up the virus. This vaccine also provides good protection against the SARS-CoV-2 variant identified in the United Kingdom, and based on the latest science, also provides some protection against the variants identified in South Africa and Brazil.” Full vaccination requires two doses administered 10 weeks apart. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is stored at 2°C to 8°C for up to six months.