Covid: Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be delivered in Jersey

The first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine are due to be rolled out in Jersey next week.

Chief minister John Le Fondre said care home residents would be the first to get the Pfizer/BioNTech jab from 14 December.

Coronavirus cases in the island rose to 536 on Monday, with 31 new infections identified and 11 recoveries.

Senator Le Fondre warned visits to care homes would be "paused", with the exception of end-of-life patients.

He said that would continue until it was "safe to resume".

On Monday the chief minister announced care home staff would also be vaccinated from 21 December.

He said any remaining stock would be reserved for "front-line health staff", but did not offer a timeframe for other islanders.

The second dose of the vaccine would be delivered to care home residents and staff in January, he added.

Mr Le Fondre said it meant many of the island's most high-risk residents would "have immunity from Covid-19 by the end of January 2021".

He said the government had taken the "incredibly difficult decision" to ask all care home residents to shield from Tuesday because "we cannot vaccinate people who are sick".

There are currently 23 Covid-19 patients in hospital, an increase of six since Sunday's results were released.

Addressing the latest surge in cases, the island's deputy medical officer of health Dr Ivan Muscat said he believed 50% of "all infections" in Jersey were detected by its testing regime.

The government has introduced tighter coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks, including the mandatory wearing of masks in shops and a hospitality circuit-breaker.