Thursday 17 December 2020
Today is a landmark day in the Bailiwick with the first cohort of frontline health and care staff receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr Sue Fleming, Matron at St John's Residential Home, was the first person in the Bailiwick to receive the vaccine at 8 am this morning. Dr Fleming is included in the first priority cohort as she provides direct care to the residents.
Deputy Al Brouard, President HSC said:
'To be in a position to roll out the vaccine before the end of this challenging year is down to the hard work and dedication of staff across the States of Guernsey. The infrastructure required to roll out a vaccine that needs to be stored at ultra-low temperatures has been put in place at significant pace.
We are exceptionally pleased that we can start this vaccine programme with very low numbers of cases of COVID-19 in the Islands and no evidence of community seeding. This makes the roll-out a much simpler process and is down to the continued #GuernseyTogether spirit in the Bailiwick.'
Islanders are reminded that the vaccine will be delivered in order of priority set by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI). As we move through the cohorts, those eligible will receive a letter in order to arrange their vaccination appointments. Please do not telephone to see when you will be called.
More information on the vaccine can be found here: https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/vaccine
The Emma Ferbrache room at the PEH has been re-purposed as a small vaccination centre for this phase of the vaccine programme. HSC would like to thank the North Show Committee who have agreed that chairs they initially lent to HSC for extra seating for a staff event, can be used in the repurposed room while it is being used as a vaccination centre.
We would like to thank everyone for their understanding and support as we have had to cancel a large number of room bookings that had been made to accommodate the vaccination centre.