Covid-19 press update |29 January 2021
Dr Gedeon and Dr Louange during the press conference yesterday (Photo: Jude Morel)
Tomorrow last day to receive first dose of Sinopharm vaccine
Sinopharm vaccine will be administered to the public for the last time tomorrow, January 30, Health Care Agency chief executive, Dr Danny Louange, has said.
The rest of the vaccine will be used to vaccinate people who have already taken their first doses. The vaccination process for the second dose will start on Sunday February 7, 2021 in all vaccination centres on Mahé and Praslin.
Meanwhile, the Covishield vaccine for people aged above 60 years old will continue to be administered.
Dr Louange was speaking during the live Covid-19 press update yesterday afternoon at the Sheikh Khalifa Diagnostic Centre, Seychelles Hospital. Also present was the public health commissioner, Dr Jude Gedeon.
Up to Wednesday January 27, a total of 21,507 people had taken the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine, while another 4080 had had their first dose of Covishield, bringing the total number of people to receive a first dose to 25,587.
Dr Louange said that the strategy is to vaccinate around 70,000 people (excluding children below 18 years old) in order to improve our herd immunity so as to start building up the economy.
Dr Gedeon, on the other hand, said that 20 new cases of Covid-19 had been recorded (as of yesterday morning January 28, 2021) since the last update, bringing the total number of cases recorded in Seychelles to 1,149. Of the new cases 10 are Seychellois and 10 are gainful occupation permit (GOP) holders.
He added that 854 people ‒ 217 visitors/GOP holders, 153 foreign seafarers and crew and 484 Seychellois ‒ have already recovered, while there are 292 active cases among those 199 Seychellois. To date Seychelles has recorded only three deaths from the virus.
He claimed that there has been a downward trend in the number of Covid-19 cases on a daily basis as test continues.
Dr Gedeon also pointed out that all districts have recorded positive cases of Covid-19 with Baie Ste Anne Praslin being the highest, mostly linked with a cluster recorded at a hotel establishment. He mentioned a positive outbreak at the Indian Ocean Tuna Canning Factory (IOT) adding that the health authority is working with the management to contain the virus.
The public health commissioner said that Seychelles is second in the world after Israel with regard to Covid-19 vaccination as 1.41% of our population is being vaccinated each day for the first dose only. In terms of percentage of people being vaccinated Seychelles is third with 21%, after Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
He claimed that so far nobody is immune against the virus as they have taken only the first dose and it is only two weeks after having taken the second dose that somebody is considered immune.
Dr Gedeon stated that overseas students currently in Seychelles are being vaccinated before leaving the country to continue their studies, while those who are abroad their vaccinations will be covered by their insurance and if not it will be taken up by their respective universities and the Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD).
He also stated that the public order access to the beach is being reviewed to allow two persons per household for physical exercise and swimming only.
He also mentioned that the public order will be reviewed for the opening of some other retail businesses such as stationery shops.
According to Dr Louange there are 18 patients at the isolation centre of the Family Hospital at Ile Persévérance among whom four are in critical condition and are receiving ventilator assistance.
As for other quarantine centres, there are 10 patients at the Seychelles Coastguard, 56 at the Avani Resorts & Spa, 63 at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Spa and 11 patients are being quarantined at the Indian Ocean Lodge on Praslin.
With regard to the vaccination programme, Dr Louange urged members of the public to note well and follow the time-table given by the Ministry of Health to avoid congestion and long queues at the vaccination centres.
He also stated that the second batch of either the Sinopharm or Covishield vaccine will be in the country shortly for the continuation of the vaccination programme.
He called on patients who are getting pains or other small issues after being vaccinated to use Panadols or visit their doctors if things get worse.
Patrick Joubert