As at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 29, 2021, there were 115 patients in isolation facilities (19 in primary, 44 in secondary and 52 in tertiary isolation).
Of these, 35 patients (30 per cent) were unvaccinated, and 76 (66 per cent) were fully vaccinated.
Of those fully vaccinated, three patients were in primary isolation, 29 in secondary, and 44 were in tertiary isolation. The unvaccinated comprised 16 persons in primary, 13 in secondary, and six in tertiary isolation. Four persons, two in secondary and two in tertiary isolation, were partially vaccinated for COVID-19.
It is important to note that the increase in fully vaccinated persons is due to a large proportion of tourists being admitted to the isolation facility from the Christmas week. Since vaccination rates are much higher for tourists than for the local population, this has driven up the fully vaccinated rate.
However, it should also be noted that the percentage of unvaccinated persons in primary isolation (those who are seriously ill) is 84 per cent, which is higher than those fully vaccinated – 16 per cent.
Primary and secondary isolation for COVID-19 patients in Barbados are units which accommodate those who are very ill and need close monitoring and treatment with primary isolation housing the most severely ill.
Tertiary isolation houses patients who are only mildly ill or not showing illness. The number of persons in isolation is fluid and changes throughout the day as persons are admitted and discharged.