Bermuda to end mass vaccination programme

The Bermuda government says it will  end the mass vaccination programme by the end of March even as the British Overseas Territory recorded another death linked to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, bringing the island’s death total to 120.

However, the authorities note that active cases have fallen below 300. The death was the second reported this week.

Health Minister Kim Wilson said the mass vaccination programme run by the government will end on March 31, after which COVID-19 vaccine will be available through doctors’ offices and participating pharmacies.

So far, 72 per cent of the population have received two doses of the vaccine while 69 per cent have received a booster shot

A loosening of the island’s COVID-19 restrictions has been welcomed by hoteliers and restaurant owners.

President of the Bermuda Hotel Association, Tim Morrison, who is also general manager of the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, said the organisation “wholeheartedly” backed the changes, which included an easing of test requirements for vaccinated travellers.

The changes to border restrictions, announced last Friday in the House of Assembly, will come into force on March 7. They include cutting the cost of a travel authorisation form for visitors to the island from US$75 to US$40.

Premier David Burt, who is also Tourism Minister, has said that travel authorisations for visitors will stay until at least the end of the next financial year.

He said the scheme was an important revenue source for the government to help fund the island’s COVID-19 response.

Tests on arrival for air visitors and later tests on the island will be dropped for people with up-to-date vaccinations

SafeKey requirements were dropped last Friday for venues including restaurants and bars, while maximum group sizes were raised from 20 to 100.

Holders had to update their SafeKey — an official document and digital verification of their two vaccination jabs — on the 15th of each month. Wilson initially said holders would need the booster to get their SafeKey updated from February 15.

Bars reported a surge in business after the SafeKey requirement was dropped last week.

Bermuda said there are 12 people in hospital, although none is in intensive care.

There were 88 new cases recorded in the latest batch of 3,063 test results, but these were offset by 126 recoveries since Monday, cutting the number of active cases to 272, although information of vaccination status and variant type was not immediately available.

A total of 12 of the new cases came in from overseas, 38 were classed as on-island transmissions and 39 were said to be under investigation.

In all, Bermuda has recorded 11,146 cases of the virus.

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