CAYMAN’S VACCINATION CAMPAIGN IN REGIONAL LEAD

Indications are that the Cayman Islands is leading the Caribbean region with its rate of COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to the latest reports from Cayman’s health authorities, 41 per cent of the estimated population of 65,000 have received at least one dose of the vaccination against the dreaded virus.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr John Lee says, “So far, 26,321 (41% of the estimated population) have received at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, while 12,824 have completed the two-dose course.”

“Based on the proportions given in the 2010 census and our current estimated population of 65,000 people, of those eligible (51,893 people aged over 16), 51% have had at least one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.”

In all 39, 145 COVID-19 vaccines administered to date in Cayman.

Official statistics show that at the last count, conducted around the time that stage 3 of the vaccine rollout was opened, the proportion of those in each age bracket under 60 who have had at least one dose is as follows:

• 20% of those aged 16 to 30

• 29% of those aged 30 to 40

• 36% of those aged 40 to 50

• 54% of those aged 50 to 60

This puts the jurisdiction’s vaccination programme to date ahead of the other three Caribbean countries leading with their campaigns; Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua & Barbuda and Barbados on 30 per cent, 25 per cent and 21 per cent respectively according to statistics from the past week.

A further 63,000 doses of the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine being administered here are due by April 7th from the British government.

With that shipment, will have received over 100,000 doses “which is enough to vaccinate the entire adult population of 50,000 people in Cayman,” according to a recent statement HE Governor Martyn Roper.

The United Kingdom continues to show a global lead in vaccinations with half of the adult population receiving at least a first dose of either the Prizer-BionTech or the Oxford-Astra-Zeneca, including 95 per cent of people over 60 years old.

The UK health services vaccinated a total of 26.8 million people between 8 December and 19 March with first doses, while 2.1 million people have had their second dose so far.

In the United States, President Joe Biden achieved a goal of vaccinating 100 million people in his first 100 days in office, doing so within two months.

Meanwhile, in Cayman, as testing continues for the virus alongside the vaccination campaign, the last reported batch of 469 COVID-19 showed all negative results.

There are 847 people in isolation, either at a government facility or in their homes.