Roughly 20,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are set to expire at the end of this month, according to Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville, who yesterday added that the government will introduce incentives for individuals who choose to take the vaccine.
“I made it very clear that we have about 20,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson [and] that the expiration date appears to be at the end of this year, simply because when the Pfizer vaccine was introduced, the appetite for the Johnson & Johnson declined,” Darville said.
“We’re doing all in our power now to ensure that we do our best to get those vaccine jabs in people’s arms. We’re going to try our endeavor best over the next month to do the best we can.”
He added, “With that being said, we will be offering some incentives for individuals to get to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.”
As of November 27, 146,441 Bahamians were fully vaccinated.
Individuals over the age of 12 are eligible to receive the vaccine in The Bahamas.
Darville has indicated that the government intends to make vaccines available to young children once it secures pediatric doses of Pfizer.
National COVID-19 Vaccine Consultative Committee Deputy Chair Ed Fields has said he is hopeful that 200,000 people can be fully vaccinated by the end of the year.
Once The Bahamas reaches the 200,000 mark, it would have vaccinated 50 percent of its total population, according to Fields.
When asked yesterday how realistic that goal is given the recent decline in vaccine uptake, Darville replied, “We’re pushing very hard right now. My last report that came to me yesterday is that there is some 42 percent of the Bahamian population that is fully vaccinated.
“We are going to improve our public relations effort to try and convince Bahamians who have vaccination hesitancy that your best bet to protect yourself, your family and to prevent death and possibly hospitalization is to be vaccinated. That is our message going out.”
He said the Ministry of Health is moving swiftly to increase vaccine uptake through a public education program.
Darville said there is “the possibility of new protocols” this Christmas season.
However, he did not elaborate on what he meant by that.
The post 20,000 doses of J&J will expire this month appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/20000-doses-of-jj-will-expire-this-month/
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