Covid-19 vaccination campaign |19 July 2021

Around 68% of the Seychellois population including gainful occupational permit (GOP) holders have taken two doses of the Covid-19 vaccines

Taking the campaign to the next level

Since the launch of the Ministry of Health’s vaccination campaign in January 2021, Seychelles has received 151,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

In January, 50,000 doses of Sinopharm and 50,000 doses of Covishield were given to Seychelles and most recently, in May it received another 50,000 doses of Sinopharm and 1,000 doses of the Sputnik V.

Seychelles has administered 98,462 complete doses of Covid-19 vaccines, technically representing around 68 percent of the population including gainful occupational permit (GOP) holders.

It is important to note that out of the total number of deaths caused by Covid-19 only three were fully vaccinated (Covisheild) and they all had other serious health complications. Only 4% of the total deaths were patients who were fully vaccinated.

When the campaign was launched, the strategy was to vaccinate 70 percent of the population so as to achieve ‘herd Immunity’. As we have discovered this was not possible since none of the vaccines prevent the virus from being contracted or transmitted, but instead they greatly reduce the chances of the virus causing severe illness and death. Due to these factors, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has changed its strategy, where now the goal is to vaccinate as large a percentage of the population as possible.

Another strategy that is being implemented is the vaccination of children between 12 and 17 years of age as well. The vaccine that will be given to these children will be from Pfizer, a Covid-19 vaccine that has been cleared for use in children aged 12 to 17 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Seychelles is expected to begin this vaccination programme as of July 2021 and the aim is to reduce the risk of Covid-19 cases among students in schools.

The MOH wishes to once more remind the public that vaccines are one of the tools we need to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. The public must keep in mind that vaccines do not prevent you from contracting or transmitting the virus, especially now with the new Covid-19 variants that are causing severe illnesses even in vaccinated people. It is absolutely necessary that other health precautions are continuously being taken, like keeping physical distance, wearing facemasks, washing hands among others.

If we use all these tools properly alongside the vaccine, then we will surely achieve our main goal of increasing immunity among the population.

There is also a research being conducted currently to determine the level of immunity among the population. The results of this research will be one of the factors, along with directives from global authorities such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) that will determine whether or not we will administer to our population a third or ‘booster’ dose of vaccine.

Members of the public are strongly encouraged, especially residents of Praslin and La Digue islands, to go and take both doses of the vaccines, currently being administered at the Mont Fleuri community centre as well as on Praslin and on La Digue.

The Covid-19 vaccines are tools that will help our small country fight this pandemic and it is readily available for the public so do your part and get vaccinated.

Contributed by Ministry of Health