The cases are down from the last release which showed 100 cases. However, on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health has recorded 61 new positive cases. Of the 16 admissions, 14 have been admitted to the 5 regional hospitals. The other 2 are in the New ENT Hospital, which also deplores the death of a woman in her thirties on Tuesday 11 January. Vaccination of Pfizer, as third dose, remains a major issue because of deadline of 15 January v/s 800 doses per vaccination centre, which are also offering the daily doses received to teens.
16 deaths in 12 days
The New ENT Hospital has 16 deaths since the beginning of the new year. 80% of the victims were not vaccinated.
The latest victim, Sweta Bundhoo, was 38 years old. She was admitted after her health deteriorated last Saturday. Despite being duly vaccinated with two doses of Sinopharm, the victim had several comorbidities and this was confirmed by her husband, Kishan Bundhoo. She was pronounced dead from Covid 19 on Tuesday 11 January and leaves behind an underage daughter.
Vaccination rate on the rise
Vaccination continues to increse. 955,181 people have received the first dose, 915,740 the second, and 229,202 the third/booster dose, which has become crucial to be recognised as Fully Vaccinated from 15 January. For the time being, the third dose is being given by Johnson & Johnson in 6 centres, but mainly by Pfizer for those aged 40 and over and to 12- to 17-year-olds for the second dose in 8 centres.
More Pfizer doses but fewer people vaccinated despite the craze!
This exercise should be started soon after the shipment of 400,000 Pfizer doses received by December 31 and a donation of 203,580 Pfizer doses by the US Embassy on Tuesday. Minister Jagutpal had spoken at the last NCC press briefing on 06 January about the inoculation of 12- to 17-year-olds in their respective schools by mobile units as well as mobile units at workplaces where the third dose is a necessary requirement for access from 15 January. This exercise has not yet started. 13 clinics should have also joined the administration sites against a service charge of Rs 300 per person but they have not yet received the Pfizer doses from the Ministry.
Thus, this exercise is currently disrupted due to shortage of doses at the centres against the number of people coming. It is said to have become customary for a centre to serve only 800 doses per immunisation day, which starts from 9am to 3pm in alphabetical order and by age groups. At the Plaza in Rose Hill, crowds who came for the Pfizer vaccination, were turned away. Some even waited without knowing that they were not going to be inoculated. Some were able to take the day off work, especially parents of students whose children were scheduled to be vaccinated from 1 to 3 p.m. The scenario was no different in other vaccination centres, such as SVICC. People are grumbling and deploring a lack of organisation and management by the Ministry of Health, which should have foreseen this rush, especially after imposing the 15 January deadline not only on the general public but also on employees and civil servants!
The 15 January deadline maintained
Despite protests and multiple requests to postpone the deadline, the deadline of 15 January is maintained for civil servants. The civil servant will not be able to access his workplace listed in the Fifth Schedule of the Consolidated COVID-19 Regulations 2021 unless he is fully vaccinated or produces a negative PCR test certificate. To date, less than 20% of the population has received his third or booster dose. The demand of Radhakrishna Sadien, president of State and Other Employees Federation, has not yet received a response!
The 8 members of the Air Mauritius Cabin Crew Association (AMCCA), who filed a constitutional complaint against the mandatory vaccination and thus, challenging the regulations imposed by the government under the Quarantine Act, will be heard on 20 January 2022 in the Master’s Court.
Minister Jagutpal addressing the press at 10:30am on 13 January
Should we expect any changes in the deadline, in the methods of the third dose vaccination campaign or any other appeasement related to the current issues of tension…? The Minister has announced that he will be briefing the press on Thursday 13 January at 10.30 am on important announcements from his Ministry. To be continued…
