Nineteen per cent of Bahrain’s eligible population has not registered for a Covid-19 vaccine, it has emerged.
Health Ministry Under-Secretary Dr Waleed Al Manea yesterday said vaccinating the entire population remains a challenge as the country strives to return to normalcy by achieving herd immunity.
“Strict compliance to precautionary measures and vaccination are key tools to combat the spread of the virus,” he said, reiterating call to citizens and residents to take the jabs.
He, however, said Bahrain was on the right track in flattening the infection curve and praised the public’s commitment to Covid-19 regulations.
Direction
Dr Al Manea was speaking at a Press conference held remotely from the Crown Prince Centre for Training and Medical Research, Riffa yesterday.
“On May 29, the number of existing cases were 28,798. It dropped to 19,238 on June 8, which confirms we are moving in the right direction,” he said.
“The promising results also confirm that the decisions taken are correct.
“We have hence extended the restrictions until June 25 to assess the results and further plan on gradually opening the closed sectors.”
The GDN reported yesterday that Bahrain has extended the partial closure of retail trade outlets and services involving customers for a further two weeks. The earlier restrictions were set to end tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Dr Al Manea said Bahrain is taking all measures to ensure Covid-19 vaccinations for its citizens living abroad.
The GDN on Tuesday reported His Majesty King Hamad’s directive in this regard.
“The Health Ministry is working on logistical arrangements and the plan will be implemented in the coming days after an inventory of all registered citizens is obtained from embassies abroad,” said Dr Al Manea.
“We are co-ordinating with the embassies to obtain the necessary approvals, to work on the electronic registration links for citizens residing abroad to get vaccinated.”
Dr Al Manea also announced that the new treatment unit at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre has been opened to Covid-19 patients assigned to home isolation, with effect from yesterday.
“Covid-19 patients on home isolation, who need medical care, may visit the treatment unit at the BIECC,” he said.
Dr Al Manea was speaking alongside National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Monitoring Committee head Lieutenant Colonel Dr Manaf Al Qahtani and senior taskforce member and Salmaniya Medical Complex Infectious and Internal Diseases consultant Dr Jameela Al Salman.
Dr Al Salman highlighted Bahrain’s new milestone – with more than a million taking at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
The inoculation campaign was launched in December last year.
“Half a million people were vaccinated by April 2021. Within two months we crossed the one-million mark on the first dose,” she said.
Registration
However, 19pc of the population eligible for vaccination have not registered yet.
The virus is mutating and vaccinations will reduce the number of infections.
At the same time compliance with precautionary measures is also absolutely necessary.
Responding to the GDN, Dr Al Manea said challenges remain as efforts are on to bring down infections.
Partial closure of retail outlets and services, involving customers, has contributed to a fall in the number of active cases, he said.
Improved commitment to precautionary measures has also impacted the curve. Now, the challenge is to continue with the same commitment.
The second challenge is vaccination. We aim to give over 31,000 doses daily from 31 centres and the public must use this initiative, so that we achieve our goal.
Covid-19 infections have dropped to an average of 1,635 cases daily in the last six days, compared with an average of 2,733 daily during the six days prior.
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