More Vaccines land; 44,000 doses from UK as TCI eyes removal from ‘high risk’ category

#TurksandCaicos, April 2, 2021 – On Wednesday March 31, another 14,040 vaccines landed in the Turks and Caicos Islands; fulfilment of a UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office promise to support overseas territories amidst the deadly and debilitating Coronavirus Pandemic.

Turks and Caicos received 44,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine from the United Kingdom, in three dispatches.

The recent delivery of vaccines supports the goal of Turks and Caicos to have 70 per cent of adults vaccinated, to achieve ‘herd immunity’. 

Forty percent of people have taken at least the first jab. 

His Excellency, Nigel Dakin, TCI Governor; Her Excellency, Anya Williams, TCI Deputy Governor; Charlene Higgs, Director of Health Disaster and Emergencies and Nurse Savita Ramkellowan, Sr Public Health Nurse was the receiving delegation at the the Providenciales International Airport.  The Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines arrived on a chartered British Airways flight, shortly after 5 p.m.

Freezing cold transport of the vaccines from the airport to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre was once again provided by Graceway Supermarkets.  It cold storage truck ensured sub 70 degree temperatures were maintained on the short ride.

Hon Erwin “EJ” Saunders, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier confirmed that in country, for the first time, are 300 doses of the AstraZeneca branded vaccines.  This brand, he said, has been sourced for individuals with severe allergies and is the UK made Oxford Astrazeneca.

Some batches of the Astrazeneca have been discontinued, EU countries citing blood clots as a problem.  Canada, on Tuesday, joined the list of countries pausing administering of Astrazeneca. 

The newest supply, which has an expiration date in June landed amidst growing vaccine hesitancy and as the Turks and Caicos doggedly approaches its goal of three per cent Covid-19 testing and positive case rate.

New cases have dropped dramatically, down in the single digits and testing is up, which is a benchmark for demonstrating the pervasiveness or not, of the coronavirus. 

Minister Saunders says he is confident that the stride will get the country off those high risk rating lists of the US Centers for Disease Control and the US Department of State. 

When Progressive National Party Government took office back in mid-February, the country was at over 30 per cent when testing and new cases were counted, now, the country is below 11 per cent said the deputy premier, who on Wednesday held a press conference. 

Over the past week, Turks and Caicos has recorded only six new cases of Covid-19.