A third of eligible residents have received their second and third Covid-19 vaccine boosters as the fight against the virus continues.

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, said: “This is good news, as vaccinations are the best way to fight the coronavirus, protect our community and save lives.”

A spokeswoman for the ministry said that Bermuda had received its last shipment of vaccines in September and, since October 1, 3,868 doses had been administered.

She said that because of a drop in demand for the vaccine, the Government planned to order additional supplies for early autumn, in time for the next flu season.

“The Ministry of Health successfully distributed all the Moderna Bivalent and Pfizer-BioNTech paediatric vaccines received last September,” the spokeswoman said.

“However, we still have the adult Pfizer formulation that can be used until April 2023. The Pfizer adult vaccine is safe and effective and can be used in place of the Moderna Bivalent vaccine.”

The Bivalent boosters are one of the few shots that targets newer Covid-19 variants that have higher resistance to earlier vaccines and natural immunity such as the omicron variant.

Ms Wilson praised the hard work of pharmacies, doctors, paediatricians, the Bermuda Diabetes Centre and the St John Ambulance Brigade who have administered the jabs since October.

“They were instrumental in helping to fight the pandemic and protect our community,” she said. “They provided testing and were a tremendous support in improving access and convenience to the coronavirus vaccine, outside of normal office hours and through a larger distribution network than existed previously.

“Their dedication and contributions will have a lasting impact on our community.”

The Minister urged the public to continue to take precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses, such as frequent hand washing, mask wearing and maintaining social distancing.

Ms Wilson said: “The coronavirus is still with us; although under better control, it is still a threat, and we must remain vigilant.

“Sadly, we have had coronavirus-related deaths and I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends who recently lost their loved ones.

“I strongly encourage all eligible individuals should get the coronavirus vaccination and get boosted on time.”

To view a list of private healthcare providers offering the Covid-19 vaccine, visit https://bhec.bm/covid-testing-facilities/.