Forbes: 95% of Deaths Were Unvaccinated

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As the country records two more COVID deaths, health experts are warning that the vast majority of COVID-19 related deaths in the country are still people who have not been vaccinated against the virus.

This as those with compromised immune systems are encouraged to take extra precautions.

Giorgio Bain tells us more.

Twenty COVID-19 related deaths were recorded over the weekend, as the country marked the significant milestone of recording more than 100,000 fully vaccinated Bahamians and residents.

There have been more than 550 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

According to infectious diseases experts the vast majority of the people who have died of COVID in the country were not vaccinated.

“Ninety-five percent of persons were unvaccinated, between three and four percent were partially vaccinated,” said Dr. Nikkiah Forbes.

“In the month of September after September 8th, we saw a few persons and that accounted for about one percent that were fully vaccinated who did indeed get COVID and pass away.”

Dr. Forbes says about four fully vaccinated people have died of COVID 19, and those individuals were immunocompromised.

“Now those persons that were fully vaccinated and passed, they did have a condition that made their immune system weak. They were diabetic, had high blood pressure, had a history of cancer or obesity was also an independent risk for dying if you get COVID,” Forbes added.

“If you are having a condition that makes your immune system weak, even if you are fully vaccinated you must take additional precautions.”

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), doctors are still looking at how well vaccines protect people with compromised immune systems, and how long the COVID-19 vaccine actually protects people.

Dr. Forbes reminds Bahamians that individuals are not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after their one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or two weeks after their second dose of any other COVID-19 vaccine.

“Quite a number of those persons about 58% had their first dose of their vaccine less than 14 days before they presented to hospital implying that they either got COVID very quickly after they got their vaccine, their first dose of the vaccine, or even before,” Dr. Forbes said.

The Bahamas still has a way to go before the goal of herd immunity can be achieved. Some experts have estimated that 70-percent of the total population should be vaccinated — others have admitted the percentage may need to be much higher.