The Government of Barbados is working to expedite access to COVID-19 vaccines initially for about four key frontline workers and by this weekend these could be administered to the recipients, if successfully procured.

Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley indicated the above yesterday, during an address to the nation, in relation to the current COVID-19 pandemic. 

Noting that she had been in contact with Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General  of the World Health Organisation (WHO) who she noted had both been “a source of tremendous support”, Mottley revealed that through them in particular, she has been seeking to see how best her government can expedite access to the required vaccines. To date, the PM said that the government has paid just under Bds $5 million via the COVAX facility for vaccines, which are due to come for twenty percent of the population. 

She meanwhile noted, “I spoke to you on Monday evening and indicated we are seeking to get far more than that and in fact, we are in a position now where we believe that we can as early as this weekend be able to access just a handful, that will allow us to be able to ensure that those persons who are completely on the frontline, can go about their tasks having received the first vaccine”.

“We are deep in discussions with it. I will come back to the country and indicate if we are successful,who are the four or so people who will get it, while we continue to be able to over the next few weeks be able to see if we can procure (vaccines) for the majority of frontline personnel and vulnerable populations, that we need to get it for” the Prime Minister further commented.

“As I said, there is a possibility this weekend that there may be four vaccines that are available. We are not sure of it yet. We will know in another few hours, but we have had consultation at the higher levels of Cabinet, that if those are there, the first person that we would want to offer  vaccination to in this country is Dr. Corey Forde, our lone infections specialist who would have done yeoman work and who is on the frontline with all of the facilities in the country” Mottley stated.

The others who would receive the vaccine she said are, Medical Officer of Health for Ports of Entry, Dr. Manohar Singh and Minister of Health and Wellness, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic. Noting that there has been some debate whether she should also receive it, Mottley said there is still “deep discussion” on this, but she will get the vaccine if necessary, to silence “vaccine skeptics”. (RSM)