The Chief Minister, the Minister for Health and Care and the Governor were at St Bernard’s Hospital this evening to receive the first consignment of the COVID-19 vaccine supplied by the UK.

Mr Picardo told YGTV this was “the beginning of the end of the crisis that Gibraltar and the rest of the world have faced.”

The vaccine supplied to Gibraltar is the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine which has been given to the vast majority of people that have received a COVID-19 vaccination in the U.K. Studies show that up to 95% of people who are fully vaccinated with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine develop an immune response.

The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine works by triggering the body’s natural response to produce antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19, and also by stimulating the production of the body’s own cells to fight the virus. The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine does not contain any live COVID-19 virus and therefore cannot cause COVID-19.

The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo said: "The arrival of this vaccine is a demonstration of our work with the FCDO and MoD as part of the British family of nations, a stunning example of the power of science and a chance for each of us to get inoculated against deadly COVID 19. I have registered for the vaccine already and I urge everyone to do so and in that way help us to turn the corner and get Gibraltar and our economy and public finances back on track!"

Mr Picardo told YGTV the vaccine represented “science shining a light out of the tunnel” and that the Government would never advise taking a vaccine that was unsafe or untested.

He said that the vulnerable and elderly members of the community who would receive the vaccine in the coming days would soon experience a “return to normality.”

The Chief Minister urged people not to be sceptics or cynics regarding the science behind this vaccine.  

The Minister for Health, Samantha Sacramento added: “I am delighted that we now have many thousands of doses of the vaccine in our ultra-low temperature freezers in Gibraltar. Tomorrow will see the first residents and staff from ERS receive the vaccine along with front-line workers in the GHA and the Care Agency. Monday will see the opening of the public vaccination centre in the former Primary Care Centre in Casemates Square which will allow over 500 of our most vulnerable people to be vaccinated per day. I would like to express my thanks to everyone who has worked to make this possible. Every injection that we give from tomorrow starts to reduce the likelihood of people in Gibraltar becoming seriously ill or even dying. As soon as it is my turn I will be taking this vaccine.”

The Medical Director of Gibraltar Health Authority, Dr Krishna Rawal said: “There is no doubt in my mind that having this vaccine is the right thing to do. All through the pandemic I have followed the advice to protect myself and my family and to stay fit and well to serve our community. The vaccine is now the best way to do that and I am proud to say that as a front-line doctor I will be amongst the first to be vaccinated tomorrow. I will be asking all GHA staff and patients to have the vaccine when it is their turn.”

The Gibraltar Director of Public Health, Dr Sohail Bhatti added: “This vaccine has been given to millions of people and does not contain any live organisms. It has been found to be safe and even the initial restrictions about giving it to people with severe allergies and who are breastfeeding are being progressively relaxed. The Pfizer vaccine has produced a superior immune response in people of all ages more quickly than any other COVID-19 vaccine that is currently available so I am delighted that this is the vaccine that has been supplied to Gibraltar. Please take your one chance to be released from the nightmare of the last year and give yourself freedom from fear and uncertainty. When it is my turn I will be taking this vaccine.”

The Director of the Gibraltar Primary Care Centre Dr Valerie Flores said: “Your GPs are strongly recommending that you take the offer of vaccination against COVID-19 when it is your turn. We are fortunate in Gibraltar to have received this vaccine in advance of so many other countries who are still waiting for a vaccine. As Dr Bhatti has said, the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has been given to millions of people now and has been shown to provide one of the best responses in adults of all ages. I will be taking the vaccine this weekend to help protect my patients, my family and friends, my colleagues and the public.”