VACCINATION SPECIAL – ASHY, HENNY AND KATHRYN MAGSON
ASHY UPDATE
‘I’M JOINED TODAY WITH HENNY AND KATHRYN WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE PANDEMIC’
IOM IS COVID-FREE, SINCE YESTERDAY – NO ACTIVE CASES
THANKS TO THE GREAT MANX PUBLIC FOR KEEPING US SAFE
BUT
WE WILL LIKELY GET FURTHER CASES DUE TO TRAVEL
REMEMBER TO SELF ISOLATE IF YOU TRAVEL AND FOLLOW THE RULES
COVID19 HAS DECREASED IN ENGLAND BECAUSE OF LOCKDOWN 2.0 BUT TRANSMISSION, HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AND DEATHS ARE STILL WORRYING IN UK
VACCINE
VACCINE BOARD IS WORKING HARD TO ROLL OUT THE VACCINE SAFELY AND TIMELY
IT’S A HUGE TASK AND NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE
THIS WEEK THE PFIZER/ BIONTECH VACCINE GOT APPROVAL FROM THE MEDICINES REGULATOR
ASHY – ‘THIS GIVES US THE GREEN LIGHT TO PUT INTO MOTION OUR VACCINATION PLANS’
THE VACCINE WILL BE COMING FROM BELGIUM TO THE UK AND THEN TO US
BORDERS
BORDERS ARE STAYING AT LEVEL FOUR FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR
IT’LL BE REVIEWED IN THE NEW YEAR
KM (KATHRYN MAGSON DHSC CEO)
KM – ‘WE NOW HAVE A SAFE VACCINE’
VACCINES ARE A MUST FOR OLDER PEOPLE
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO COME UP WITH OUR VACCINE PROGRAM AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WILL GIVE THE VACCINES
THIS WILL BE A LARGE SCALE VACCINATION PROGRAM AND WE’RE ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS (RETIRED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS) -CALL 685716 TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
THOSE VOLUNTEERS SELECTED TO HELP WILL GET FULL TRAINING AND PPE
FIRST PRIORITY IS CARE HOMES AND CARERS – THIS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE VULNERABLE
THEN 80+ YEAR OLDS WILL BE NEXT IN LINE
AND PEER TO PEER VACCINATION FOR HEALTH CARE STAFF
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE STORAGE AND TRAVEL
THERE ARE PRECISE STEPS AS IT’S A DELICATE VACCINE
THE VACCINE IS A TWO DOSE VACCINE – THE SECOND DOSE TAKEN 21 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST
REQUIRES CAREFUL MANAGEMENT AND BOOKING, PUBLIC TO BE CONSIDERATE ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES (NOT FLEXIBLE) BOOKING
TOTAL NUMBER OF VACCINES 130,000
975 VACCINES IN FIRST DELIVERY
KM – ‘ A PROCESS NO ONE HAS TO HAVE, BUT WE HOPE EVERYONE WILL’
QNS
SIMON
DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO GIVE OUT CERTIFICATION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE VACCINE?
ASHY- NO, WE DON’T HAVE ANY PLANS. WE DON’T KNOW IF THIS STOPS PEOPLE CONTRACTING THE VIRUS AND PASSING IT ON. THE POINT OF A CERTIFICATE WOULD BE FOR PEOPLE WISHING TO TRAVEL BUT WE ARE NOT AT THAT STAGE BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW IF HAVING THE VACCINE MEANS YOU WILL NOT CONTRACT THE VIRUS AND PASS IT ON.
TIM
WHEN THE VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE VACCINATED, WILL COMIN RECONSIDER BORDER RESTRICTIONS?
ASHY- WE NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND THE VIRUS IN OTHER PLACES. THE VACCINE IS NOT A SILVER BULLET, EVERYTHING WILL NOT BE PERFECT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW FRAMEWORK OF BORDERS.
JOSH
ON THE GOV WEBSITE IT SAYS THE VACCINE PROGRAMME WILL TAKE FOUR TO SIX MONTHS. IS THIS THE TIMESCALE YOU’RE WORKING WITH?
ASHY- IT’S NOT THE TIMESCALE FOR EVERYONE ON THE ISLAND- WE’RE HOPING TO VACCINATE VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THAT TIME. THE VACCINE IS NOT A SPEEDING SILVER BULLET.
WILL POLICIES REGARDING PEOPLE ISOLATING WHEN ENTERING THE ISLAND CHANGE BECAUSE OF THE VACCINE?
ASHY- ATM NO, BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE INFO OF WHETHER PEOPLE CAN STILL PASS THE VIRUS ON IF THEY HAVE HAD THE VACCINE.
SAM
A HEALTH WORKER GOT IN TOUCH, AND THEY ARE NOT SURE ABOUT VIRUS IF THEY WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE VACCINE.
ASHY – WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT VACCINATION IS NOT MANDATORY. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPEED IN WHICH THE VACCINE HIT THE MARKET.
ROB
HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED TO BE GIVE THE VACCINE? ONCE? YEARLY? EVERY 6 MONTHS?
VACCINES TAKE ONCE? YEARLY? 6 MONTHS?
ASHY- WE DON’T KNOW YET.
HENNY- IMMUNE RESPONSE SEEMS PROMISING BUT WE DON’T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST FOR.
PAUL
THE GOV ARE ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE VACCINES. ARE THEY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
ASHY- WE ARE ASKING EXPERIENCED OR RETIRED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO VOLUNTEER. THIS WILL BE THE BIGGEST VACCINATION SCHEME EVER.
HOW WILL WE BE NOTIFIED ABOUT GETTING THE VACCINE?
YOU WILL BE INVITED BY YOUR GP AND ASKED TO RING 111. BIT LIKE THE FLU VACCINE.
CLOSING
TO ECHO HQ: THE VACCINE IS A SILVER BULLET, NOT A SPEEDING BULLET.
FESTIVE SPIRIT IS IN THE AIR
“A TOUCH OF THE WHITE STUFF” (YEP, THAT’S HOW HE REFERRED TO IT) COMING THIS WEEK TOO.
ENJOY THE RUN UP TO CHRISTMAS, ENJOY THE FESTIVE SEASON AND PROTECT OUR PRECIOUS HEALTH AND CARE SERVICES.
