First Pfizer jabs made available to public

Just over 100 people received their first Pfizer jab on Friday as that vaccine became available to the wider public.

But the Co-coordinator of the National Vaccination Programme, Major David Clarke, said he believed the rainy weather may have prevented more people from coming forward, it was Friday and lot of people had to work.

The Pfizer vaccines were administered at the Masonic Centre in Salters, St George.

“We did do over 100 Pfizer vaccines, but we also did Sinopharm and AstraZeneca second doses,” said Major Clarke.

“We expected more than 100 because it was open so people could come, but because it was a day in the week we expected that it would not be a [rush]. But we expect that Saturday and Sunday will have a lot more people because they will be off from work, as most people are.”

Major Clarke said everyone who showed up at the centre received the jab.

When a Barbados TODAY team arrived at the Masonic Centre just before noon, dozens of people were waiting for their inoculation, the vast majority of them for second doses.

“I think additional people were coming, the weather probably stopped them. I think people who came early and were here [beat the bad weather] and got vaccinated. I think once the weather [system] came the people who were thinking about coming later probably changed their mind,” said Major Clarke.

So far, 101 732 people have received first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 88 986 – about 32.8 per cent of the population – have received two doses and are therefore considered fully vaccinated.

Students and staff at The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus were the first to receive first doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Thursday. The doses arrived on island last Friday as a gift from the United States. (MM)