Government
US to consider annual COVID vaccination
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#USA, January 25, 2023 – In a matter of days, the United States is going to make a decision on whether or not they will make Covid-19 vaccinations an annual recommendation.
In an effort to reduce vaccine mistakes and increase compliance from the public the best way to administer COVID shots going forward is via a single vaccine shot for primary and booster doses according to a proposal from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA said despite the fact that the fact that bivalent vaccines were proven to work, getting shots into arms was proving difficult with the agency citing “implementation complexities”.
In addition healthcare workers have made mistakes administering the vaccine owing to the number of different vial presentations and booster uptake is low all these issues are expected to be fixed or improved with the simplification of the vaccine composition.
The vaccine will have to be periodically updated to handle new variants but if the FDA gets its way gone will be the
era of multiple boosters. In fact the COVID shot will be more like the flu shot in how it is administered. Regulators will also vote on whether all shots should target the same variants. Of this is approved regulators would decide the most concerning variant in summer giving vaccine makers a chance to change the formulation in time for winter.
“Review of the totality of the available evidence on prior exposure to and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 suggests that, moving forward, most individuals may only need to receive one dose of an approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccine to restore protective immunity for a period of time. Two doses of an approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccine may be needed to induce the expected protective immunity”
The Agency explained that though it was not completely the same the data observed in long term effectiveness of COVID shots was similar to that observed with annual influenza vaccination cementing their proposal.
The proposal will be considered this Thursday at the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
Even as yearly shots are considered, the US is holding fast to its vaccine mandate for entry.
This is despite most other countries relaxing the rules months prior. The vax rule came into effect during the initial onset of Omicron in November 2021. Prior to that only a negative test was needed. The measure was set to expire on January 9th but was quickly extended to April 10 this year.
The WHO has advised that travel bans and restrictions “do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress and safety measures such as masking, testing, isolation/quarantine, and vaccination should be based on risk assessments.
The country lengthened their vax mandate and activated more stringent entry measures, particularly for travellers from the China region, as new and elusive COVID sub-variants are emerging and infection rates are increasing.
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce Mr. Reginald Charles’ appointment to Assistant Director of Planning – Administration in the Physical Planning and Development Department within the Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development.
Mr. Charles received an Associate’s Degree in Environmental Science from the Turks and Caicos Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Charles joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2014 as an Environmental Health Officer with the Department of Environmental Health and was later promoted to Land Use Planner within the Physical Planning and
Development Department. He was later appointed as the Secretary to the Physical Planning Board and advanced to the post of Environmental Compliance Manager. Until this appointment, Mr. Charles was the Assistant Director of Planning for a substantial period. He was able to gain valuable experience in the management and administrative functions needed to be successful in carrying out his tasks.
Mr. Charles, in commenting on his appointment, stated: “I am very excited to contribute to the success of my department, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and my country. I have won the support of my colleagues, management, and staff, and they have helped to champion my cause, to which I am very grateful.”
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Mr. Charles, stated:
Mr. Charles is a hardworking and dedicated public servant who has previously served in various capacities in the public service: Environmental Health Officer in the Environmental Health Department and as a former Land Use Planner and Environmental Compliance Manager in the Planning Department. In 2020, he was appointed Secretary to the Planning Board and has previously acted as Assistant Director of Planning.
Mr. Charles has had a progressive public service career, which we are proud of, and we are sure he will do well in this new role.
Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion Reginald!
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce Ms. Talestra Dixon’s appointment to the Registrar post in the Registrar General’s Department within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Transportation, Public Safety and Utilities.
Ms. Dixon completed her secondary education at the Raymond Gardiner High School in North Caicos and received two scholarships from the Ministry of Education. Ms. Dixon earned an Associate Degree in Hospitality and Tourism
Management from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College. She later achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Labour Employment Relations from the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
Ms. Dixon joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2021 as an Assistant Compliance Investigative Officer in the Citizenship and Naturalization Department—a post she held until this most recent appointment.
Ms. Dixon, in commenting on her appointment, stated: “I am delighted and grateful for the opportunity to begin this new journey within the public sector. My goal is to attain the mission, vision, and values of the civil service by assisting in creating strategies, policies and procedures that would continue to provide an efficient and effective work environment and its products, along with providing good customer service to all.”
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Ms. Dixon, stated:
Ms. Dixon is one of our young professionals who recently joined the service and has already started to make a good name for herself. She adds to the team of Ms. Kayon Cox as Registrar General to assist in taking the Registrar General Department to the next level as we progress towards digitizing our services.
Congratulations on your promotion, Ms. Dixon!”
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce Mr. Leonardo Glasgow’s appointment to Assistant Director of Planning – Enforcement in the Physical Planning and Development Department within the Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development.
Mr. Glasgow received an Associate’s Degree in Building and Design Technology from the Turks and Caicos Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Glasgow recently returned home from the United Kingdom after taking study leave for a year to pursue and
complete a Master’s Degree in Property Development and Planning, also from Nottingham Trent University.
Mr. Glasgow joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2016 as a Planning Technician within the Physical Planning and Development Department. He was later appointed as a Land Use Planner and held that post until this most recent appointment. He played a vital role in developing the National Physical Development Plan.
Mr. Glasgow, in commenting on his appointment, stated:
“I must firstly thank God through whom all my success is attributed. I am constantly reminded of Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
This appointment humbles me, and it is an honour to be given the opportunity to lead and develop my department as I strive to be a better leader by being the best public servant I can be.”
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Mr. Glasgow, stated:
Mr. Glasgow has given over seven years of service to the Planning Department. He has specialized skills in building and design, architecture, and property development. He has recently returned to the service following his Master’s of Property Development and Planning degree in August 2023, assisted by grant funding from the Public Service Professional Development Fund.
I am proud of Mr. Glasgow’s accomplishment and know he will do exceptionally well in this new role.
Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion Leonardo!
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