Close to $2 million invested in COVID vaccine project

Barbados has invested close to $2 million in a project to ensure its population benefits from any new, approved COVID-19 vaccine. But Minister of Health and Wellness Lt . Col. Jeffrey Bostic Tuesday made it clear that the existing protocols will remain in place as a precautionary measure, even when such a vaccine is made available.

Responding to news that scientists on Monday reported the development of a vaccine that is more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19, Bostic said local health authorities would still have to be watchful and not rush to dismantle the current restrictions, especially given the discovery of a possible mutation of the virus.

“We will continue with all of our protocols and to do exactly what we were doing all along. If a vaccine comes along, that would be an added benefit, but we are going to continue what we have been doing [because] there is also another factor at play. There is an issue that has been reported by the government of Denmark in relation to, perhaps, a mutation of the virus and which may be another virus altogether,” he told Barbados TODAY.

“That is being investigated in the labs and WHO [the World Health Organisation] and others have been informed, and depending on what the outcome is there then that could also throw a tailspin on even the Pfizer vaccine. So we still have to be careful and have to watch. That’s all we can do from this end, but we are making all the plans necessary in order to access it if and when they become available.”

International media has reported scientists saying that initial trial results for the COVID-19 vaccine by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech far outpaced their expectations for protection against a completely new disease, but many questions remain unanswered.

The pharmaceutical companies said their vaccine was more than 90 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19, based on data from the first 94 people in the trial to become infected with the disease.
The efficacy rate means that the overwhelming majority of infections occurred among people who received a placebo rather than the vaccine.

The 44 000-volunteer study was initially designed for a first interim analysis of whether the vaccine was working after 32 participants developed COVID-19.
The full study is designed to show the vaccine is effective after 164 people fall ill. Pfizer said that may happen in the first or second week of December when a panel of outside advisors to the Food and Drug Administration reviews the study and decides whether to recommend authorising its use.

In any case, Minister Bostic told Barbados TODAY this country has positioned itself to ensure it is not side-lined or left out in the cold when a vaccine is ready for commercial use.

“We are following the development because it is obviously a very interesting and exciting development. But we know very well that it still has a way to go and that there is a process if it is approved,” he said.

Bostic said Government had been preparing months ago and is now part of a project with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) under a revolving fund facility to accommodate small island states like Barbados to access any newly authorised vaccine.

“We have made our deposit of close to $2 million to be able to secure enough vaccines for 20 per cent of the population . . . That was the initial thing that was being offered, but we have gone a step further to try to get another 20 per cent of the population vaccinated in the event a vaccine is made available,” he stated.

He said the Government was also now considering who would constitute the first 20 per cent in the population.
“Obviously there are a number of factors that would have to be taken into consideration, including persons who would be exposed on the frontline and other considerations. But we would make this information available to the public as soon as we have finalised our deliberations,” Bostic said.

“Suffice it to say, we are following with deep interest the developments taking place in relation to the Pfizer vaccine and we are hoping we will be able to capitalise on that and any other vaccine that is approved, particularly that is procured to the PAHO revolving fund system.”

The Health Minister went on to explain that the 20 per cent would increase once more vaccines are produced and “then obviously there may be more than one vaccine that is approved so we would be able to capitalise on that”.
“But at the moment we are looking to source, if we can, enough for 40 per cent of the population; but the initial thing at the moment is 20 per cent.”

Bostic said the fund facility will also help Barbados procure any needed ventilators.
“That is why this facility has been established. Part of it is with the Bill Gates Foundation, then there is PAHO.
“It is a conglomerate, so to speak, that we are dealing with, and they were gracious enough to put this in place to ensure that small states like ours are not at the end of the food chain when a vaccine is made available,” he pointed out. (Barbados Today)