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Scrutiny Office
Deputy Richard Renouf
Minister for Health and Social Services By Email
14th December 2020 Dear Minister
COVID-19 Vaccine Delivery
At the Panel's recent fortnightly Public Health briefing on the 10th December, it was advised that the Government was in the final stages of preparations to deliver targeted COVID-19 vaccinations. The Panel notes that immunisation of vulnerable and high-risk persons commenced on Sunday 13th December, with staff providing front line care to receive the vaccine from 19th December.
The Panel would be grateful if you could provide answers/further details on the following matters:
- Please can you advise the method of storing the vaccine and the process that will be followed to ensure the vaccine is efficiently thawed and transported to care and nursing homes?
- Please can you advise what the timetable for delivery of the vaccine is beyond the dates of the 14th and 19th December and who will be responsible for the management and delivery of the vaccine?
- We note that the vaccine requires two injections 21 days apart, to provide effective immunity against COVID-19. Please can you advise whether the batch of 1,000 doses that have now arrived in Jersey will be made available as two injections, 21 days apart, that will completely immunise 500 persons?
a) If the first batch of 1,000 doses is only the initial injection, please can you advise when the next batch of 1,000 doses of the secondary injection will arrive into the Island?
- You may be aware that the UK Vaccine Damage Payment, a tax-free payment of £120,000, is available to citizens of the UK in the rare event that a vaccination results in a severe disability. Please could you advise whether such a scheme already exists in Jersey, and if not, whether you intend to make provision for compensation in the rare event that the COVID-19 vaccine results in a Jersey resident(s) becoming severely disabled?
- Please can you confirm that the medical records of elderly and vulnerable Islanders, particularly with pre-existing health conditions and complications such as Downs Syndrome for example, will be appropriately considered before the COVID-19 vaccine is provided?
The Panel would be grateful if you could provide a response by Friday 18th December. We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Deputy Mary Le Hegarat
Chair
Health and Social Security Scrutiny Panel