Barbadians have been assured that there are enough second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine available to inoculate everyone who already received their first dose.
Co-coordinator for the National Vaccination Programme (Logistics), Major David Clarke, explained that people need not worry since the second doses for the first phase of the vaccination programme were placed in storage. They will be administered to those persons who already had their first shot.
Major Clarke further pointed out that health officials were currently using available first doses from additional batches of vaccine received, to continue the vaccination programme. He added that these were not the vaccines donated by the Government of India.
The roll out for the administration of the second dose of the vaccine is expected to start from April 17, 2021. Based on scientific information, the second dose is best given 10 to 12 weeks after the first to achieve greater efficacy.