Special consideration will be given for children aged 12 to 18 years with underlying conditions to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George said while an early decision had been taken, just after receipt of vaccines to make sure the most vulnerable people, those over 65, received that jab, another vulnerable group, those with non-communicable diseases, was also identified as being at risk, and also given first preference before the vaccine is rolled out to the wider population.
Last Friday, Barbados received a shipment of 70 500 Pfizer vaccines, a donation from the United States government.
“That is how we proceeded with the Pfizer vaccine. Fortunately, these vaccines have been used widely in the United States and Canada in populations between 12 and 18 years old. In that group, we realised there are some members who may be indeed more vulnerable. For example, children with cancers, persons with hymnological problems, persons with asthma. That is a subset within the group of 12 to 18 that should be given special consideration. Those are the issues on the table and we will continue to work with the science that is available to identify those individuals,” he said.
George was a panellist at the third town hall meeting on COVID-19 vaccines and testing, held at the Deighton Griffith Secondary School in Kingsland, Christ Church, last night. He was responding to a question from Kay Blades, who was part of the online audience, about the possibility of the Pfizer vaccine being used in teenaged children in Barbados. (RA)
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