The Falkland Islands Government has received its second batch of Covid-19 vaccines, supplied by the UK government. These 2,200 doses arrived today via the South Atlantic Airbridge and are of the same Oxford/AstraZeneca type as the first batch received at the beginning of the month.
The public works program in the Falkland Islands is in full swing, and this includes not only the new port or housing projects but also improvements in Gilbert House.
The Falkland Islands hospital, KEMH, is inviting people aged between 45 and 49 to receive their Covid-19 vaccination this Tuesday, 16 February at the Falkland Islands Defence Force, FIDF, Hall in Stanley, between 09:00 am and 12:00 pm.
The Government of the Falkland Islands in coordination with BFSAI, and based on medical and public health advice, including restricting access to Mount Pleasant Complex, MPC (*), with the exception of essential travel, consider that the Covid-19 cluster at MPC has been contained.
The Falkland Islands government is inviting all those over 50, and would like to be vaccinated against Covid-19, and have not already attended the vaccination program, please come to the FIDF Hall between 9am and 11.30am this Friday 12 February morning.
The Falkland Islands government has reviewed and emphasized the Declaration of Emergency restriction movements, under regulations 11 and 12, which remain in full force, particularly referred to MPC and dependencies access, and possible essential travel.
With an economy growing sustainedly 3,9% annually, full employment, and with ambitious public works and housing projects in the books, the ongoing problem of the lack of tradespeople in the Falkland Islands has become more evident and challenging. Penguin News invited MLA Barry Elsby to comment on the situation in an interview this week.
The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, announced on Tuesday, February 9 the latest Covid-19 swabbing results which indicate that the total number of positive tests, since 3 April 2020, reached 53, of which 15 continue to be currently positive, all under quarantine, with an only person in the hospital.
The Falkland Islands Government Executive Council, ExCo, has agreed to the making and publication of a Declaration to bring into force regulations 11 (restrictions on movement) and 12 (restrictions on movement – specified areas) in order to ‘prevent, protect against, delay or otherwise control the incidence or transmission of coronavirus in the Falkland Islands.’ The regulations form part of the Infectious Diseases Control (Coronavirus) (No 2) Regulations.
As the first batch of Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines have arrived in the Falkland Islands, the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) announced it will start the Covid-19 vaccination programme on 8 February. “We plan to administer the first dose for eligible people in a mass vaccination program at the FIDF Hall, with visits out to West Falkland and the Outer Islands. If you live in Camp on East Falkland it would be very helpful if you could travel into Stanley as we will happily vaccinate you whenever you arrive and when the vaccination centre is open,” FIG said on Wednesday in a Press Release.