Prime Minister Gaston Browne said Antigua and Barbuda has the facilities to store the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine that must be stored at the very low temperature of -70C.
“We have the capacity to store at least 30,000 Pfizer vaccines here. We do have refrigeration that can provide that level of storage on island”, Browne said during his weekend radio program on Pointe Fm.
“The issue is about accessing the vaccines. If we get them, if we can purchase them, we can get 30,000 of them here and we have the capacity to store them”, he said.
“The issue of cost cannot be a consideration at this point. It is about getting the vaccine as soon as possible to immunize our population in order to protect our people from the debilitating illnesses associated with COVID and possible death.”
The Prime Minister said experts “reckoned that COVID-19 will become endemic. In other words, it’s not going to leave us anytime soon. It’s going to be around maybe for decades.”
He said by then it may not be as menacing since many people will be vaccinated causing a considerable slowdown in the transmission of the virus.
He, nonetheless, cautioned that it “doesn’t mean that people will not contract COVID in the future and potentially could die from COVID.”
“So, considering that COVID will become endemic, it is important as many of people become vaccinated as soon as possible”, he advised.
The Prime Minister also said it is “not inconceivable that the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, that they would make it a requirement for people who will travel to their countries in the future that they will have to provide evidence of being vaccinated.”
“As you can see, they have now introduced this policy in which you have to provide some evidence that you have tested negative for COVID before you can enter the country and it is probable that they may up the ante sometime in the future. So, there are implications for not being vaccinated; health implications and even social and economic consequences”, he added.
The Prime Minister said the country will “pursue a public education programme and those of us who have influence within the society that we should be among the first to take the vaccine. I have indicated I’m willing to be the first in order to encourage others to feel comfortable to understand the science is proven and tested.”
Over 30,000 people participated in clinical trials for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which have received approval in the UK, US and other countries.
“There are many individuals since who would have had first and second shots and are doing well, there’s no evidence of anyone getting extremely ill or growing new limbs as some of these anti-vaxxers have been creating fear globally”, Browne said.
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Hope you have multiple back-up generators for that freezing facility! One power outage and vaccine dead!
where are said freezers?????
PM ‘ no evidence of anyone getting extremely ill’
Google NORWAY PFIZER COVID VACCINE DEATHS.
these vaccines are not ‘one size fits all’.
We need immunization but be sure to:
Aminister each type to the correct demographic.
Double back-up well maintained electrical generation needed.
Hourly recorded temperature checks to ensure Pfzier vaccine remains active.
(Tried posting more details but ANR did not publish)
Wicked people in high places, they are pushing for these vaccines, we have the believers and non believers pertaining to these vaccines, all of a sudden they have our best interest at heart, where was the love for the people with other ailments all this time, i never saw it and i definitely dont believe them now. History repeat itself when our so call leaders pretend to care for the people just for them to benefit even innocent lives have to be lost.
Won’t be surprised that we hear they were second hand freezers or the government did not get value for the people’s money because of kickbacks.
Also hope someone doesn’t pillage the freezer parts for their own use like they did the Barbuda plane. The government showed such haste in acquiring the freezers when they don’t know what vaccines they may be getting. I may be pessimistic, but this is Antigua.
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