More than 5000 adolescents to receive second dose of Pfizer vaccine this week |05 October 2021
Nurse manager Bijoux (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
More than 5000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 who have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine will begin receiving their second doses of that vaccine as of this week, with the reopening of the secondary public schools.
Nurse manager of the Expanded Programme of Childhood Immunisation of the Ministry of Health, Florida Bijoux, has said that vaccination teams will be at all those schools as from tomorrow, Wednesday October 6.
The Ministry of Health has also confirmed that adolescents whose parents had not yet consented three weeks ago, during the first round of the Pfizer vaccination campaign for adolescents, can still receive their first doses if parents have now changed their minds and wish for their children to receive the vaccine.
“There are enough Pfizer vaccines for every adolescent who wishes to receive them!” says Dr Bernard Valentin, principal secretary in the Ministry of Health. “We continue to encourage parents and guardians to allow their children to receive the vaccine so as to better protect them from Covid-19.”
Apart from intensifying the vaccination campaign at the schools, the vaccination teams are this week also vaccinating the residents at the North East Point Home for the Elderly, the residents of the Regional Homes in the districts where they exist and other people with chronic conditions such as those with diabetes, cancer, kidney failure, cardiovascular diseases etc.
“While at the schools we will also offer the Pfizer vaccine to all school staff who have not been vaccinated,” added nurse manager Florida Bijoux. “We will also offer the Pfizer vaccine as a third dose to those with chronic conditions.”
The Ministry of Health approved a third dose of Covid-19 vaccination to all persons with one or more co-morbidities two weeks ago. These persons are at increased risk of having severe Covid-19 infections and dying from Covid-19. Several countries including United States, United Kingdom and Israel have approved third dose Covid-19 vaccination for persons with co-morbidities.
Press release from the Ministry of Health