As of July 10th, there have been a total of 82,050 vaccinations given, with 63.3% of the population having received two doses thus far.
This week the Government stated that “64.8% of the population has been vaccinated [1 dose]” and last week they stated that “64.9% of the total population has been vaccinated [1 dose]” and we reached out to the Government for clarification last night on that statistic, and will adjust the text if needed.
Minister of Health Kim Wilson said, “We have completed the twenty-sixth full week of vaccinations. Since January 11th Bermuda has administered a total of 82,050 vaccinations.
“Of the 82,050 vaccinations given as of July 10:
- 52% are women and,
- 48% are men
“82.1% of all residents over the age of 65 years have had at least one vaccination and 80.8% are fully immunized.
“To date, 64.8% of the population has been vaccinated [1 dose], and 63.3% of the population has been immunized [2 doses].
“The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is available at the KEMH vaccination centre. Walk-ins are available between 4 and 7pm Monday to Friday, or 8am to noon on Saturday. The vaccination centre is closed on Sundays.
“I recognise that a lot of the reluctance around getting vaccinated comes from misinformation. However, the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks at this time.
“I encourage anyone who is trying to make up their mind about getting vaccinated, to seek information that is supported by science and rely on guidance from reliable sources.
“Now is the definitely the time to get vaccinated while we have enough vaccine doses available. The sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner you are protected, the sooner our community is protected, and the sooner we can get back to normal.
“The longer you wait to be vaccinated, the higher your risk of catching COVID-19, and the longer we will have restrictions.
“The Government is extending vaccine-based resident SafeKeys by one month. Those vaccine-based SafeKeys that expire July 15 can go to gov.bm/safekey to have their SafeKey extended to August 15.
“For those needing assistance with their travel authorization, there is a toll-free number available for travellers calling the COVID-19 helpline from the United States and Canada. The number is 1-833-570-2594. Also, as additional staff is hired and trained, the Call Centre will be extending its hours of operation beyond the current 8.00am to 8.00pm.
“In closing, there has been much discussion in the news media and on social media platforms about ‘natural immunity’. Let me be clear: having a prior infection of COVID-19 is not the equivalent of vaccination. A prior infection is not, and has never been, accepted as an approved ‘version’ of vaccination.
“The CMO can speak in more detail regarding the difference between immunity from infection and immunity generated following immunization.
“However, I can say the strength of the protection offered by the vaccine is designed to give the body the best chance of fighting off the virus with minimal side effects. The strength of protection offered by infection really depends on the amount of virus that enters the body and how ill the patient becomes.
“Patients with milder infection generally have lower levels of antibodies in their system compared with patients who have severe infection and were hospitalized.
“The best protection against COVID-19 is provided by vaccines.
“Bermuda’s list of approved vaccines, which will allow a traveller to be exempt from 14-day quarantine includes: Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, the Serum Institute of India’s Covishield (which is AstraZeneca), Johnson & Johnson and Moderna.
“Please remember, each of us must do our part to stop the spread of the coronavirus. It is essential that we all follow Public Health guidelines, as I stated before, and wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, maintain physical distance and download the WeHealth Bermuda app.
Do the research, talk with a reliable source and make an informed decision about getting the COVID-19 vaccine. There is a wealth of information about the vaccines online at gov.bm.”
