The Bermuda Hospitals Charitable Foundation has thanked donors for $670,000 of support for the BHB’s Covid-19 vaccination clinic as the operation started to wind down.

A spokeswoman said that the clinic, with the support of corporate and private donors, was able to administer 51,319 doses of the Pfizer jab.

Penny MacIntyre, the chairwoman of the BHCF, said: “The timely and impactful financial support enabled BHB to fully support Bermuda’s vaccination effort, saving more lives and livelihoods.

“Our corporate donations totalled just over $600,000 thanks to the generosity of the Green family who kicked off the corporate challenge beginning with their initial donation of $100,000.

“The Greens added an additional $50,000 to drive home the importance of vaccination as the way forward for Bermuda and Bermuda businesses.

“Private donors contributed over $40,000 while online banking transfers totalled over $25,000.”

Lisa Sheppard, the BHCF executive director, added the response from the community was “astounding”.

She said: “From the hundreds of private citizens who donated quietly online, to the small businesses and major corporations stepping up and contributing to the vaccination clinic was overwhelming and truly humbling.

“The BHCF is profoundly grateful to its supporters for allowing us help the BHB with this vital initiative.”

Judy Richardson, the chief of nursing at BHB, added the donations helped to set up and operate the vaccination clinic for almost a year.

She said: “It has been a true community-wide effort to get vaccination up over 70 per cent in Bermuda.

“This directly translates to lives saved, and it will have reduced patient admissions.

“It is sobering to imagine what the Delta surge would have looked like if there hadn’t been the majority of residents vaccinated, especially in vulnerable groups and over 65’s, where vaccination rates are over 85 per cent.”

The BCHF thanked other donors, who included Chubb, AXA/XL, Stable House, Sail GP, BF&M, Lindo’s, Argus, Appleby, Gibbons/Colonial, the Bermuda Hotel Association, Viking Foods, Enstar, Harrington Re, Supermart, ARCH, IBC/ZipEx, XBTO, ABM, the St George’s Trust, the Bermuda Stock Exchange, Rayclan and other contributors who chose to remain anonymous.