The resumption is now possible because the United Kingdom has officially confirmed that it will be sending another 12,000 doses of Astrazeneca vaccines to the BVI on March 17.

According to Health Minister Carvin Malone, when the new shipment arrives on March 17, the government will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some private healthcare providers to administer COVID-19 jabs to residents free of cost.

“The MoU will be executed with qualified private healthcare providers and require them to conduct vaccinations at no administrative or product cost to persons or to the National Health Insurance programme,” the Minister assured.

Health Minister Carvin Malone made the revelation in a national broadcast on March 4, just days after announcing that health authorities have halted the vaccination programme because the second shipment of vaccines was delayed.

Halting the programme also made it possible for the government to save the remaining jabs from the first UK shipment for those persons who had already taken the first jab.

Another 12,000 doses coming month-end

With the new shipment of vaccine doses now confirmed, Minister Malone said the government is hoping to start vaccinating new persons on March 25.

“We have secured enough doses for the entire adult population of the BVI and will continue to work closely with the Chief Medical Officer to ensure BVI has the supply when it needs with the caveat that this will need to be planned in advance,” Minister Malone explained.

He continued: “Provisionally, we have a further 12,000 doses penciled in for the 31st of March providing we continue a steady, planned approach. I hope you will agree that there is no need to further pause the vaccination programme and we should to continue to encourage people to come forward for that all-important first dose,” Minister Malone explained.

As of March 3, a total of 4,474 vaccines have been administered.