Kids’ vaccine arriving this week

Children between the ages of 5 and 11 will be able to get their first Covid-19 vaccine shot very soon as Cayman anticipates its first delivery of the paediatric formulation of the Pfizer vaccine on this Thursday’s BA flight.

Governor Martyn Roper said Cayman would be receiving 2,000 doses of the kids’ vaccine on the 17 February flight.

“The UK heard our pleas for Cayman to be allowed to move ahead with vaccinating our 5–11-year-olds as quickly as we could,” he stated, adding that the UK had given Cayman permission to proceed in advance of a wider roll-out in the UK.

The Health Services Authority will be issuing a vaccination schedule for this age group shortly, he advised. Children will need two shots at least eight weeks apart.

“As we increasingly learn to live with Covid, the capacity to roll-out vaccines to 5-11s will be another important tool we have to protect our community,” the Governor said.

Booster uptake stalled

But while Cayman looks forward to protecting its young people, it had not done such a great job in embracing booster shots. The Governor reminded residents that it remained vitally important that the uptake of the booster shot needed to increase significantly.

“Our booster rate is low at only around 30% of the eligible population, well below that achieved in the UK,” he warned. “We know from irrefutable evidence that the booster provides essential protection as immunity wanes over time after two doses.”

The Governor said that while it was welcome that cases of Covid were dropping and Cayman’s high vaccination take-up was saving lives, getting boostered was also extremely important.

“Our death rate remains very low on any global comparison and sadly it is overwhelmingly the unvaccinated who are getting seriously ill. Please get your booster if you are eligible. It is the best way we know to protect yourself, your family/friends and the wider community,” he said.