Bahamas to Roll out Vaccination Program Next Eeek

The Government of The Bahamas is scheduled to begin its COVID-19 vaccination program next week, following the arrival of 20,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Wednesday.

According to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, a trial run of the vaccine program will be held this week.

“We have completed the IT program to ensure the registration of individuals, so the entire system can be transparent and we’re following the protocols and we will send the protocols to WHO (the World Health Organization), so that the entire world will be familiar with what we have done,” Minnis told reporters at Lynden Pindling International Airport.

“So, there can be no possibility or question of anyone jumping the line or showing favoritism to this one or the next. It will be totally transparent and you will have that information available to you.”

He said that as the vaccine rollout commences, the public will receive more information from the government.

“Everything will be totally transparent, all the information you want, you will receive,” the Prime Minister said.

Wednesday marked the arrival of the first vaccine in The Bahamas, nearly a year after it confirmed its first case of COVID-19.

The government is also expected to receive 33,600 of the 100,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was secured through the COVAX Facility, by the end of the month.

Healthcare workers and workers of the uniformed branches will be among the first group of people to receive the vaccine.