Daily Observer: Vaccines from China and Russia could arrive on the island within days, once approved by the Antigua & Barbuda Pharmacy Council, according to Government Chief of Staff Lionel ‘Max’ Hurst.
“Just so long as the air freight is available or some sort of air transport, we are speaking about days once the council has approved it,” said Hurst.
“The number we asked of the Chinese is 100,000 and if that arrives, then we barely have to do any more begging, sorry, soliciting,” he added.
The government is currently facing the prospect of having to halt the public vaccination process once 20,000 persons have received their first dose. The pause may be required as only 40,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been received to date, and enough doses must be saved to ensure everyone receives two doses of the same vaccine.
Further doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are expected through COVAX, but Hurst said despite promises that the vaccines will arrive soon, they are yet to receive a confirmation on a precise date. The government is also seeking to purchase further doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India but also has no date on when the doses can be secured.
The COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, or GAVI), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and others.
The Antigua & Barbuda Pharmacy Council is yet to approve any Chinese or Russian vaccines.
“It is just that there is a lot of material for the Pharmacy Council to wade through…each and everyone sitting on the council will have an opportunity to share his or her findings before a final decision is announced by the Chairman,” said Hurst.
Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine gives around 92% protection against Covid-19, late stage trial results published in The Lancet reveal. It has also been deemed to be safe – and offer complete protection against hospitalisation and death.
The vaccine was initially met with some controversy after being rolled out before the final trial data had been released.
But scientists said its benefit has now been demonstrated. It joins the ranks of proven vaccines alongside Pfizer, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen.
The Sputnik vaccine works in a similar way to the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab developed in the UK, and the Janssen vaccine developed in Belgium. It uses a cold-type virus, engineered to be harmless, as a carrier to deliver a small fragment of the coronavirus to the body.
Safely exposing the body to part of the virus’s genetic code in this way allows it to recognise the threat and learn to fight it off, without risking becoming ill.
After being vaccinated, the body starts to produce antibodies specially tailored to the coronavirus. This means the immune system is primed to fight coronavirus when if it encounters it for real.
It can be stored at temperatures of between 2 and 8C degrees (a standard fridge is roughly 3-5C degrees) making it easier to transport and store.
China has vaccines from Sinovac and Sinopharm already making their way abroad. Read more about the Chinese vaccines at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-55212787
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Chinese Vaccines?? What are the ingredients in their Vaccines? Gaston,are you going to take that Chinese and or Russian Vaccines? Oh no,you already got your 2 doses of what I got the Moderna Vaccines.
The “Comrade” from St. Vincent took the Russian vaccine and is just fine.
The comrade from St. Vincent took the Russian vaccine and not the Chinese. The Western Europeans and North America will be in no haste to take the Chinese vaccine whether it be for political or safety reasons.
I don’t Understand.
Why do governments keep doing things that are against the wishes of the people.
I honestly don’t get it
I’m sure they know the feeling most residence have towards taking the vaccine and to make matters worst , a vaccine from the Chinese.
They keep forcing us into relationships we don’t want .
Its the same thing when it comes to these foreign investment .
We Antiguans are way too passive.
When the UPP created the passport selling scheme (CCP) We did nothing . When ALP give way our passport to all kind people for land that cause the price to get a piece of land to JUMP higher than the moon we did nothing.
When they sign contract with YIDA for 100 years with no way of protecting the fisheries , environment or even the so called workers that gonna be working there. They basically can do whatever they want.
I Can’t. It’s Just Too Disheartening
You feel powerless because you you are not in control and you wish you were/
I think you should get off the Politicians back!
1. This is a life and death situation
2. China is donating vaccine all over the world. Why would Antiguan’s not want it?
3. You trust to take China’s money, but why not their vaccine
4. Antigua has no means of creating a vaccine, so why pick and chose
5. If the politicians do noting you will still complains
6. It is a positive that the government has so may contacts that it’s people now see very vital in a life and death situation
7. The citizen need to realize when to play politics and when not to
8. The job by the government in this situation is top notch. If the protocols was followed by the citizens, there would be less cases and less deaths
You Must Be Mad.
People letting Politician do whatever they want is the reason the country is the way it is. And if you think everything is okay then you need to come from under the politicians .
Plus you clearly aren’t paying attention… people have been saying for years they don’t want anything from the Chinese.
They had the option to pick and choose and they choose the Chinese sinovac .
People have many reasons to be distrustful and this will not help their cause. In the end will will all suffer
You are too compliant with politicians
Yet still the same people who say dem nah want nothing from Chinese ah da same one the shop in all the Chinese stores and supermarkets because “Chiney hab um cheaper”. y’all are a bunch of hyprocrites talking about aru nah want nothing from Chinese when 95% of the things aru use are made in China. Even the phone aru use fu write dem comnents.
I would suggest that you become a hippie and get high on opiods, meth, crack/cocaine. While your at it make some signs and chant down with the establishment.
Not Necessary.
You really shouldn’t be giving anyone advice.
You just spewing nonsense
The Cubans as usual first came to our rescue during this pandemic crisis…… They offered us much needed manpower & specific skills. The Indians, then jumped onboard offering us 40000 vaccines. The Chinese will be offering their assistance shortly…. I am sure the Cubans will back onboard with their vaccine….. Sadly I am not hearing anything about this big America who is also considered to be our great ally….. Is it only during good times they need us…….. ?? During times of crisis we definitely know who our friends are….
China, Cuba, India, and Russia are proving themselves to be true friends. It’s called socialist solidarity.
The sad reality is that antiguans seem to believe that America is gonna donate any of their more than 1 billion doses of vaccines i.e. moderna/pfizer.
America is taking care of their own first, before assisting others. Seems like the right thing to do.
No one would suggest for them not to look after their own first. However as they have access to enough vaccines to inocolate their population 3 times over but refuse to help developing countries, America is wrong on so many levels. But i am not gonna go on a crusade of America as it is not the only developed country that is engaging in such a horrendous practice. It is joined by the likes of Canada, the EU and the United Kingdom who are hoarding covid 19 vaccines. But in times of trial you learn who your true friends are.
It’s the more the better anyway. As long as it’s volunteer-based, we shall welcome all these vaccines.
I just don’t get it why Gaston refused to show off his jab-taking progress. He could take any vaccine he wanted and just say he took the identical thing as everyone else.
They need not bring the Chinese Vaccine. Most won’t take it. Not much information coming from the Chinese and do we really trust them?
So they have asked the Chinese for 100k doses even though the Pharmacy Council has yet to approve it? Am I understanding that right?
@DM. Indeed, which begs the question precisely how autonomous is the Pharmacy Council?
Thank Goodness this message got through “only 40,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been received to date, and enough doses must be saved to ensure everyone receives two doses of the same vaccine.” Let us hope that is what happens.
Taking Chinese vaccines? Do you really trust these people? Are you sure you will be getting real vaccines or some fake product not good for humans? Think of all the junk food they put on the market. When Antigua is depopulated, they will just takeover.
Maybe you should read again the comments you just wrote. What is wrong with you anyway? Hope you’re not smokin’.
The comrade from St. Vincent took the Russian vaccine and not the Chinese. The Western Europeans and North America will be in no haste to take the Chinese vaccine whether it be for political or safety reasons.
Read on YouTube of the Chinese plans to take over the world. TheY live in an overpopulation, polluted country with limited resources. They will have to be on the move. Africa is a prime target, rich in natural resources and inhabited by stupid black people. Will some Caribbean countries be included in the mix? Not smoking, just observing and learning.
Fear will lead a drowning man to hold on to a straw, it turn the wise gullible accept everything without question nothing.
This is a good move on the part of the government. Though we may have very little trust in the effectiveness of a vaccine sourced from China, the point still remains we need all the help we can get and who knows it might just be the vaccine that allows us to attain herd immunity.
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