23 March 2021

Update on Covid-19 swabbing and vaccinations in the Falkland Islands

As of today, Tuesday 23 March, the latest Covid-19 swabbing results are as follows:

• Total number of swab tests taken and processed to date: 7,125
• Total number of swabs taken but not yet tested: 1
• Total number of positive test results since 3 April 2020: 54
• Number of current positive test results within the Islands: 0

The government would also like to remind the public that the next phase of the KEMH Covid-19 vaccination programme began this morning for people who had their first dose of the vaccine between 8–12 February 2021.

Today, adults aged 65 years and above were offered their second doses at the Stanley Vaccination Centre, and the schedule for the remainder of this week is as follows:

Wednesday 24 March

60 – 64-year olds:                                                                   9am – 11:30am

Under 50-year olds, with underlying medical conditions:      11:30am – 1:30pm

56 – 59-year olds:                                                                   2pm – 5pm

Thursday 25 March

50 – 55-year olds, surname starting A-H inclusive:                 8:30am – noon

50 – 55-year olds, surname starting I-Z inclusive:                   1pm – 4:30pm

Friday 26 March

45 – 49-year olds and any other remaining individuals who received their first dose between 8–12 February: 9am – 12:30pm

Under 50-year olds with a qualifying occupation/identified carer: 1pm – 4pm       

People who received their first dose of the vaccine after 12 February will be advised in due course of the date for their second dose. Everyone who receives both doses and will be given an official card to keep in their records which provides proof that they have been fully immunised.

If you fit into any of the eligible categories and have previously declined to have the vaccination, but would like to reconsider, then we encourage you to attend any of the sessions this week to receive your first dose. If you would like to speak to a medical professional first, please contact the hospital on 28000 and you will receive a call back.

Details of the plans for immunising our 18 – 44 age groups will be published in the coming days and a separate schedule is currently under development for the travelling vaccination team to visit West Falkland and the Outer Islands once again.

The Falkland Islands Government would like to remind the community that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. While a vaccine won’t prevent you from catching Covid-19, it teaches your immune system how to create antibodies to fight the disease so you are much less likely to be seriously or critically unwell. Having a Covid-19 vaccine also benefits the whole population as, if enough people are vaccinated, it’s harder for the disease to spread to those people who cannot have vaccines. Please help us to protect our community by getting vaccinated when you are offered the opportunity.

As this is the third week without any positive cases, the government will now cease its weekly swabbing updates from today and only reinstate these if there is a future need to do so, for example if our positive test results change.