The series of restrictive measures announced in November 2021 so as to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country will still be applicable until the end of March 2022.
Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal said these measures will then be reviewed, depending on the local COVID-19 situation at that point in time.
Only those who have been inoculated with the third ‘booster’ dose will be considered as “fully vaccinated” – and will be allowed access to public institutions, restaurants, etc…
As of date, 955,181 have received a first dose; 915,740 have been vaccinated with two doses; while 238,122 have been inoculated with a booster dose. In Rodrigues, 67,9% of the population has received a first dose, 65,5% a second dose, and 4,303 persons have received the booster dose, he added.
For the booster dose, his Ministry is proposing the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for those aged between 18 and 39 years old, and the Pfizer vaccine for those aged 40 years and above.
Currently, eight vaccination centres are inoculating some 800 to 1,000 persons on a daily basis, and that the alphabetical order is still applicable for the booster dose vaccination campaign.
Media reports claimed the vaccination campaigns have this week been by long queues and numerous incidents where people had to return back home after being told that there were no vaccines left.
With regards to the COVID-19 situation in hospitals, Minister Jagutpal indicated that 12 patients are currently admitted at the New ENT Hospital.
One patient with several comorbidities and aged above 70 years is under ventilator; and 11 patients are under oxygen, out of which, six are not vaccinated, nine are aged above 60 years and nine have several comorbidities. Some 78 COVID-19 positive patients are admitted.
He said the number of deaths due to COVID-19 has decreased to reach an average of one or two persons daily.
