The Minister for Health, Samantha Sacramento, has announced today that the UK Government is supplying an additional 1170 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Gibraltar.

This latest supply of vaccine is scheduled to arrive in Gibraltar today, allowing the vaccination team to offer vaccine appointments to people on the waiting list and others who may now be eligible for vaccination.

Anyone wanting to register for vaccination should now do so at:

https://www.gha.gi/registration-for-anyone-over-the-age-of-16/ 

Following the recent decision by the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to approve the Pfizer BioNTech for administration to high-risk/vulnerable children aged 12-15 years, and the supply by the UK, vaccines will also be made available to children over the age of 12 who are deemed vulnerable in accordance with JCVI guidelines. A further announcement specific to the arrangements for children will follow.

Children aged 12-15 who will be offered the vaccine include those with severe neurodisabilities, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities.

The JCVI has also recommended that children and young people aged 12 to 15 who live with an immunosuppressed person should be offered the vaccine. This is to indirectly protect their immunosuppressed household contacts, who are at higher risk of serious disease from COVID-19 and may not generate a full immune response to their own vaccination.

The GHA has already commenced reaching out to the parents of these children through their pediatricians and has also been coordinating with the Care Agency and the Department of Education.

If the parent or guardian of any child who is considered clinically vulnerable in accordance with the above criteria has not yet been contacted, please register your interest here:

https://www.gha.gi/registration-for-high-risk-individuals-in-the-12-15-age-category/

This latest shipment takes the total number of doses of COVID-19 vaccine supplied to Gibraltar by the UK to approximately 80,000.

Minister for Health, the Hon Samantha Sacramento, said: “I am delighted that a further consignment of vaccine is now en-route to Gibraltar from the UK.  Our grateful thanks are due to the UK Government for once again supplying Gibraltar with vaccine.

“These additional doses will allow almost 600 people to benefit from the protection that vaccination brings against the risk of serious disease caused by infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. There are currently about 200 people on our waiting list for vaccination and we are also inviting young people who have recently turned 16 to come forward for vaccination as well as new residents in Gibraltar, cross-frontier workers in employment in Gibraltar on July 1st, and people who declined vaccination during the main campaign who have now changed their mind.

“In addition, we are offering the vaccine to clinically vulnerable children over the age of 12.  Immediately after the JCVI approval for the vaccination of eligible high-risk and vulnerable children, we requested additional vaccines for this purpose and are now able to offer this in Gibraltar.”

ENDS