MORE than 15,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera.
This comes as the Office of the Prime Minister announced people 50 years of age and older and restaurant and retail workers may begin making appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, effective immediately.
Persons with disabilities and their caregivers on New Providence may also begin making appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, starting today.
Those appointments are being accommodated at Stapledon School, Dolphin Drive.
The Stapledon School vaccination site is reserved for persons with disabilities only, OPM said.
For residents who do not have access to the internet, walk-up appointments are available at the Church of God of Prophecy, East Street.
Only people eligible to receive the vaccine at this time should make an appointment.
A valid work ID indicating proof of occupation and/or proof of age is required at the vaccination centre.
Last week, officials announced that teachers and school staff, hospitality workers, students and athletes studying or competing abroad and home-bound physically disabled people, are now eligible to take the vaccine.
In the case of students and athletes, student ID and proof of competition will be required.
The vaccination sites now include Kendal G L Isaacs National Gymnasium, Loyola Hall, Church of God of Prophecy, Baha Mar and Atlantis in New Providence.
In Grand Bahama the vaccination site is at the Susan J Wallace Community Centre.
Information on the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out on Abaco will be released shortly.
Appointments can be made at https://vax.gov.bs.
Infectious disease expert Dr Nikkiah Forbes said last week the benefits of taking the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine still far outweighs the risks associated with the jab.
Her comment during a Ministry of Health press conference came after the United Kingdom announced that it will offer AstraZeneca alternatives to adults under 30 after European regulators identified a possible link to rare blood clots.
The Ministry of Health has said there have been no reports to officials of allergic reactions, blood clots, post-vaccination hospitalisations or deaths in the country. Health officials say reporting Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination or Immunisation (ESAVI) after
receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is essential.
“These reports assist the Ministry of Health to investigate and determine if the stated symptoms are definitively related to vaccination and provide any necessary support to the person who is experiencing the symptoms,” the Ministry of Health said yesterday.
Events after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine must be reported to the Ministry of Health immediately by calling the telephone number 818-2975, officials said.
As of April 4, there were 69 reports of reactions to the vaccine on New Providence, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera. The reactions are headache - 21 percent; injection site itching and rash, diarrhea and dizziness - 20 percent; fever - 15 percent; chills - 13 percent; muscle pain - 9 percent; pain at the injection site - 8 percent; fatigue - 8 percent; nausea - 6 percent and chest pain - 1 percent.
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