‘Vaccinations work’

Malone-Smith was at the time urging persons to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as, according to her, “vaccinations work.”

It was announced that of the 12 persons hospitalised with COVID-19, two are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 10 are in the Special Care Unit.

One person, a male passed away from COVID-19 at Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital on the morning of July 8, 2021.

“The Minister mentioned the passing of one of our young ones today and that was a very sad, hard moment for the staff. We do not want to see that happen…

“I am taking the opportunity to say we have 12 patients in the hospital, 11 are unvaccinated and one is vaccinated,” Malone-Smith said during a COVID-19 update last night, July 8, 2021.

“We discharged a gentleman today, he was vaccinated, he was positive, he did had some symptoms, we stabalised him and he got to go home,” the Acting CEO added in making the case for persons to get vaccinated.

“I am very much for the vaccinations because I know they work, I am seeing it in action as we speak.”

Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), Cedorene Malone-Smith has urged persons in the Virgin Islands to get vaccinated as it has proven to be effective against COVID-19.

AstraZeneca effective against Delta variant- PHE

There has been a low uptake of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the Virgin Islands, even as government has been seeking to educate the public about the vaccine while debunking conspiracy theories.

As of July 8, 2021, only 9, 670 persons had received a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Some 13, 803 had received a first dose.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, according to Public Health England (PHE), offers high protection against the Delta variant.