Hon Malone made the statements during the June 1, 2021, edition of ‘VIP Lets Talk’ on ZBVI 780am, in response to a caller who proposed that some persons might be more willing to take another brand of vaccine, other than the one being administered in the VI.

Hon Carvin Malone made the statements during the June 1, 2021, edition of ‘VIP Lets Talk’ on ZBVI 780am, in response to a caller who proposed that some persons might be more willing to take another brand of vaccine, other than the one being administered in the VI.

Other vaccines could be procured if possible - Hon Malone

Currently, the territory is administering the two-dose Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines via a COVAX arrangement as the only option in the government’s public vaccination programme, however, according to Hon Malone, health authorities are willing to explore more options.

“If it is possible for us to get whether it is the Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer… we are going to seek every way possible... but the fact is that we have no control right now,” he said.

The Minister said that for some counties, even if they have the money, they cannot get the type and amount of vaccines they require for their population due to shortages around the world.

Persons might still resist vaccines - Minister warns

Meanwhile, Hon Malone further warned, that even if the territory secures another time of vaccines, there is no guarantee that persons will take it.

“One of the concerns we have… is that folks will say well if you get this one, we will take it, and then when the one comes, they still refuse to have it,” he said.

The Health Minister reminded that expert advice is that the best vaccines in the one you can get as in the case of VI's AstraZeneca jabs, given that vaccine shortage is still an issue around the world.