Pfizer rollout for children could be soon

The administering of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 to 18 may start before the end of next week.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley disclosed Saturday, during a Conversation With Barbados, that a number of critical discussions had already been held on the matter.

Mottley continued: “The Ministry of Health, through the Chief Medical Officer, has already consulted with the paediatricians of the island who have passed their judgment as to the appropriateness of the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 18-year-olds.  That recommendation has been accepted by the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Medical Officer has recommended to the …Chief Education Officer that this happen.

“Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure widespread education and discussion, the Ministry of Education met this week with PAHO and with UNICEF, to be able to refine how best that engagement with parents and children will go, going forward.

“And I have also asked this morning, the Minister of Education, Santia Bradshaw, to also engage with the NCPTA and the teachers’ unions…as early as Monday, to be able to ensure that the public education programme that is necessary for those roughly 28,000 students between the ages of 12 and 18, … can take place, so that we can start administering those vaccines, we hope, before the end of next week.”

During the address, the Prime Minister also disclosed that the country would receive another shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines next week, through the COVAX Facility.  It is also expected that there will be another donation of AstraZeneca vaccines.

She stressed that Government was keen on giving people a choice of vaccines, with AstraZeneca, Sinopharm and Pfizer being made available.