David Burt, the Premier, has said that those who don’t get vaccinated against Covid-19 “have elected to have a higher risk of serious illness”.

The Premier issued the stark warning at a press conference yesterday, in which Government extended the public health safety curfew until the end of the month – despite acknowledging that Bermuda is “heading in the right direction” in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kim Wilson, the health minister, said that, while there had not been “a flattening of the curve”, the number of active cases was falling significantly.

She said that “things are getting a little better as we are making progress”, but added that “we still have ways to go”.

She warned: “We must not be complacent.”

Dr Wesley Miller, chief of staff of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, said that the virus was “trending towards the lower numbers in the community”.

Despite the positive messages, Mr Burt said that the current curfew – which lasts from midnight until 5pm – will be extended for another two weeks until October 29.

The number of active cases of Covid-19 has fallen dramatically in the last month, dropping from a high of more than 1,600 last month to 658 now.

The number of people who have received vaccinations continued to crawl upward this week, with 69.6 per cent having now received at least one shot.

Ms Wilson said that 67.1 per cent of residents were fully immunised with two doses.

She said that 82.5 per cent of those over the age of 65 had received at least one shot and 80 per cent are fully immunised.

Ms Wilson said that between January 11 and October 9, 260 unvaccinated people had been hospitalised, compared to 32 immunised people.

Of the 79 deaths recorded in the same period, 66 (84 per cent) were not fully vaccinated while 13 (16 per cent) were.

Ms Wilson said: “The Covid-19 vaccine is our best defence for preventing the spread of this virus.

“The vaccine will decrease symptoms and severe illness and, in most cases, prevent death.

“I encourage anyone who has decided to get vaccinated to book an appointment or walk into the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Vaccination Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 4pm and 8pm and on Saturday between 8am and 8pm.”

Ms Wilson said the Covid-19 vaccine booster programme began last weekend with the focus on rest homes and immune-suppressed people.

At the previous update on Monday, the Government revealed that the Covid-19 death toll had risen to 92 after three more deaths from the virus.

At that time, there were 658 active cases of Covid-19 in Bermuda with 621 people under public health monitoring and 37 in hospital – nine of whom were in intensive care.