Fears of shortages prompt many to visit vaccination site

A steady stream of people queued up outside Loyola Hall on Gladstone Road yesterday morning, eager to get vaccinated, but those who had not made appointments were turned away. 

Loyola Hall is now the only site open in New Providence for the administration of the vaccine.

It will only remain open until Wednesday.

Maureen Musgrove said she and her 91-year-old father and 80-year-old aunt were turned away from the site because she didn’t make an appointment. 

“We called before we came and we were told that they were not turning away anybody,” she said.

“While I was on the road, I felt the need to do it instantly. That’s why I stopped by.

“I had my dad out to see the doctor and my aunt out also. So, I decided to stop by and I was just turned away. 

“The guy said he was told by the nurse not to accept anybody who didn’t have an appointment. I didn’t have an appointment. I must admit it because even if I had made an appointment, I might not have kept the appointment. 

“I did it as I felt the need to do it right now.”

Musgrove said she was disappointed.

“It took me a while to get here,” she said.

“I built up the nerve today to come.”

During the initial rollout of the vaccine, the government set up two sites for walk-up appointments – St. Anselm’s Anglican Church on Bernard Road and Church of God of Prophecy on East Street. But with vaccine supply low, those sites are closed. 

Musgrove said she’ll eventually try again and said she’s not worried that the country appears to have low stock of vaccines.

On Friday, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis acknowledged that the country borrowed 5,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Antigua and Barbuda. His statement came a day after The Nassau Guardian reported that the country was engaged in such an act. 

On Sunday, the National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee said that as of July 2, 95,992 doses of AstraZeneca had been administered in The Bahamas.

But, it also said that the total doses of vaccines received to date is 92,200 (20,000 doses from India, 67,200 from COVAX and 5,000 doses borrowed from Antigua).

It is unclear how officials were able to administer more doses than the country actually received.

Two other women also arrived at Loyola Hall yesterday attempting to set up an appointment. 

Both women, who did not wish to be identified, said they were unable to book an appointment on the government’s vaccine website – vax.gov.bs. 

They were turned away. 

But dozens of other residents, who had made their appointments, streamed into Loyola Hall.

Ron Frasier arrived just before 10 a.m. and got his second shot.

Nina Greene, who got her first shot, said she, too, had been trying to book an appointment online for days. 

“I was really happy when I was able to get in and get booked for today,” she said.

Reverend Chester Burton also got his second shot. 

“The Delta variant is upon the US and we don’t know if it’s here,” he said.

He added, “Vaccination is the first, best cure to control this pandemic.

“I was concerned about not getting the second shot because a lot of persons were out there saying that the government or Ministry of Health was running out of vaccines, but there is no shortage and they are calling in people behind us.

“There are a number of persons going in and coming out who are being fully vaccinated.” 

Benjamin Forbes said after he heard talk that the vaccine supply was running low, he rushed to Loyola Hall to get his second shot.

“I need it,” he said.

“I would encourage more people to get it.”

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source https://thenassauguardian.com/fears-of-shortages-prompt-many-to-visit-vaccination-site/