Caymans Post

A world within. A state apart.
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Premier on COVID-19 Vaccination Plan

Premier on COVID-19 Vaccination Plan

Mister Speaker, I rise today to announce that Cabinet has approved a National COVID-19 vaccination plan for the Cayman Islands this week.
Mister Speaker, we have had much success with the control of COVID-19 on these shores and much depends on us maintaining this momentum. We will build further on our achievements with this plan, and provide a strong foundation for the safe recovery of the Cayman Islands’ global economic interests while safeguarding the health of our people.

We have all been waiting for the availability of a safe and well-tested vaccine against the dangerous viral disease, COVID-19. One such vaccine, with a very convincing success rate, has now been approved separately in both Canada and the United Kingdom. The Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine is already being rolled out in the UK, a veritable Christmas gift in a country where tens of thousands of people have died as a result of the pandemic. Approval from the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America is expected shortly.

To support the OT’s in the fight against this virus the UK Government is arranging to deliver supplies of vaccinations and it is anticipated the deliveries will start in early January. Mr. Speaker, we are hopeful that Cayman will see its first batch arrive in the first week of next year. We anticipate receiving a sufficient number of vaccines in the first batch to immunise several thousand people. Additionally, Government has contracted with the coronavirus Covax facility organised by the international vaccines agency, Gavi, to provide further vaccines through this mechanism, which also supports countries less able to fund vaccination programmes themselves.

Mister Speaker, the approval of the vaccine in the UK brings us closer to ensuring the safety of those at greatest risk from the effects of COVID-19. This includes those who are older, and who have certain defined conditions and diseases that make them more vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus. And while I am not yet in those ranks, Mr. Speaker, I will say that I will be one of the first in line to take the vaccine to lead by example and to demonstrate my confidence in the safety of the vaccine.

A question that is already on everyone’s lips is how Government will prioritise vaccination throughout our community. I can tell you that the objectives of the National Plan closely align with those set out by major public health agencies such as the Pan American Health Organisation and Public Health England. Our goals are as follows:

To protect the integrity of the health care system and infrastructure for the continuity of essential services, by vaccinating health workers at all levels of care, and other essential services established in the country.
To reduce the severe morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 by protecting the populations at greatest risk from the disease, and,
To reduce transmission of infection in the community and generate widespread immunity by expanding vaccination to other groups. This will be achieved when vaccines become more available through 2021.

There is work to be done to successfully reach these objectives before the vaccine arrives, much of which is already under way.

Government has already begun to implement a communication plan to answer any concerns the public may have, and to address the considerable misinformation that is already in the public domain. Since last week, detailed information about COVID-19 vaccinations has been available from the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Government’s coronavirus website exploregov.ky/coronavirus. Further information will also be forthcoming shortly in this regard.

The Health Services Authority has large quantities of syringes, needles, sharps boxes and equipment on order for delivery of the doses.

Specialised freezers have also been ordered by the Health Services Authority, and there is already one such freezer at Health City Cayman Islands with spare capacity able to meet our needs.

Senior management and Public Health teams at the Health Services Authority are confident they will be able to commence this mass vaccination programme using existing resources.

Mister Speaker, consultation has also been undertaken with both private and public healthcare providers to better inform them of the plans and to allow them to offer their resources to deliver the vaccinations.

Health officials believe that with all preparations in place they should be able to vaccinate some 3,000 people per week.

Once the vaccine arrives on Island a number of groups have been prioritised for the voluntary vaccination. These include:

Healthcare workers and institutional residents, because this reduces the risk of spread between care givers and those they care for, and protects those that are not able to physically distance because of their situation
Frontline customer facing staff working at ports who are constantly exposed to the risks from travelers
Those over age of 60, and people suffering from conditions liable to put them at increased risk if they were to contract Covid-19
Workers who are essential for the continuity of Government services.

Mister Speaker, the second stage of the voluntary vaccination programme will consist of the delivery of the vaccine to:

Essential service workers, teachers and school staff
Those living in the households of anyone from the stage one vaccination programme.

The Ministry of Health has proposed the further opening of borders after stage two, around one month into the start of the overall vaccination programme, by which time we should be have vaccinated our most vulnerable.

The following restrictions would apply for people arriving from overseas:

All travelers entering the Islands must be able to show that they have received an approved vaccine course against the virus which causes COVID-19. This should have been completed before arrival, according to recommendations by the Public Health Department. They must also receive negative results from a PCR test upon arrival. Persons who meet these conditions will be exempted from quarantine, if living in households where the other residents have also received a vaccine.

All people who are exempted from quarantine in this manner, including their households, will undergo repeat testing on day 5, day 10 and day 15 following the arrival date.

Regular PCR screening will continue with safety restrictions for healthcare workers, healthcare establishments, nursing homes and prisons.
Those involved in hosting travelers, including all port workers, hotel workers, restauranteurs, bar workers, leisure companies, taxi drivers and anyone else working in tourism, will be required to be screened for COVID-19 disease at regular intervals.

Mister Speaker, additional PCR testing capacity by the HSA, Doctor’s Hospital and Health City Cayman Islands, should be able to match any increase in demand. The HSA and Public Health Department will also monitor the situation and promptly request any additional human resources necessary to this goal. Rapid testing may also be used to provide simpler access to testing for COVID-19 disease. But Mr. Speaker, I use the word may because it should be noted that widespread use of this in city-wide sampling programmes elsewhere has shown disappointing sensitivity in that it has only picked up between 50% and 70% of people who have COVID-19.

The final stage of the vaccination programme will consist of vaccinating the remainder of the population for whom the vaccines are intended.

Again Mister Speaker, I underline that taking the vaccine is voluntary, while the vaccine has yet to arrive in the Cayman Islands, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all those people listening to these proceedings to do their due diligence, and to keep their minds open to the many benefits that participation in the voluntary national vaccination programme will offer.

It is an opportunity for us, as individuals, to take action to protect this community that we love so much, and which has done so much for us, while at the same time we protect ourselves.

I will end by assuring this honourable House that Government will remain vigilant throughout this process, as we monitor the roll-out of the vaccination, the proposed travel changes, and their impact on our society. Should there be an indication of substantial and worrisome community transmission of COVID-19 cases in the Cayman Islands, or if we were required to move up a suppression level, preventive measures will be promptly tightened through Public Health regulations, as they have been in the past. If this happens we will see a return to the wearing of masks in public places, physical distancing and the use of protective barriers to minimise further spread of the COVID-19 disease.

Mr. Speaker as I said before the successful development and imminent arrival of the vaccine seems like the Christmas gift we have all been waiting for. At the same time the vaccine is still not yet here. When it arrives, it will greatly reduce our chances of getting COVID-19, and the potential severity of the illness if we should contract it, but nothing is guaranteed.

Mister Speaker, we must continue to practice the preventive measures that we have followed thus far, including: washing hands, practicing respiratory hygiene, and following social distancing recommendations. Doing so will ensure that we in the Cayman Islands stay safe through the holidays and into 2021.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Caymans Post
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
BBC Personalities Rebuke Accusations Amidst Scandal Involving Teen Exploitation
A Swift Disappointment: Why Is Taylor Swift Bypassing Canada on Her Global Tour?
Historic Moment: Edgars Rinkevics, EU's First Openly Gay Head of State, Takes Office as Latvia's President
Bye bye democracy, human rights, freedom: French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
The Poor Man With Money, Mark Zuckerberg, Unveils Twitter Replica with Heavy-Handed Censorship: A New Low in Innovation?
Unilever Plummets in a $2.5 Billion Free Fall, to begin with: A Reckoning for Misuse of Corporate Power Against National Interest
Beyond the Blame Game: The Need for Nuanced Perspectives on America's Complex Reality
Twitter Targets Meta: A Tangle of Trade Secrets and Copycat Culture
The Double-Edged Sword of AI: AI is linked to layoffs in industry that created it
US Sanctions on China's Chip Industry Backfire, Prompting Self-Inflicted Blowback
Meta Copy Twitter with New App, Threads
The New French Revolution
BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Application Refiled, Naming Coinbase as ‘Surveillance-Sharing’ Partner
×