More health professionals have opted to take the Covid-19 vaccination, Bermuda Hospitals Board Chief of Staff said yesterday.

At a press conference this afternoon, Wesley Miller said that 76 per cent of registered and enrolled nurses, including casual staff, were fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and another four per cent had been given one shot.

Dr Miller was confident that the four per cent would go on to have the second shot, which would push the vaccinated level to 80 per cent.

He said: “The doctors have been in a good position. The administration staff, we are seeing a slight increase as well – they were well below the 50 per cent mark – now they are at 62 per cent fully immunised and 3 per cent in the process.”

Dr Miller added: “I must reassure the public that in situations where required, in other words in all patient-facing activity, staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment irrespective of the status of the patient.

“We do everything possible to minimise transmission from staff to patients.”

He emphasised the importance of proper medical treatment for people who were seriously ill.

“For serious things, please do not stay at home. Those of you who have a stroke you consider to be minor, come and let us determine whether it is minor or not because it could well be the prelude to something bigger.

“We are able to treat you and if you need admitting, we will find a way to make it possible.”

Dr Miller promised: “We are stretched, but we will not be turning away anybody.

“Don’t stay away nor worry that you may come in with one thing and catch Covid.

“We have a host of precautionary measures including thorough cleaning and the appropriate use of PPE that make that risk very small.”

He added: “Those who have gotten sick because they have failed to take the vaccines, we are not here to make any judgment … we do not discriminate.

“Don’t feel embarrassed that you tried some alternative thing and it didn’t work. Come and we will treat you.”

Dr Miller said the island was not anywhere near the end of the outbreak.

He added: “The reality is that our numbers at BHB have dropped only slightly and we can’t say as yet if it is a downward trend.

“While that is happening, we still have to care for these critically-ill patients, we still have both the regular ICU and two satellites functioning and we also have non-Covid patients as well as Covid patients in ICU.”

Dr Miller said anyone who was unsure if they should visit their GP or the hospital should call the hospital on 239-2009.