(LOOPS) – Bermuda’s Opposition Leader NH Cole Simons joined Bermudian Premier David Burt in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday.
Burt on his Twitter account posted a photo of him receiving his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the Bermuda Vaccination Center.
“Happy to report that I am feeling great and I will be returning in 21 days for my second dose.”
He continued that the start of the vaccination programme Monday was a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19.
“I thank everyone involved who helped make this possible, but I give special thanks to the team at the Minister of Health who worked over the holiday to ensure we would be ready.”
He also appeared to poke fun at some skeptical Bermudians in another tweet.
“The placebo effect is crazy! My arm is sore from a non-existent needle,” he Tweeted.
Burt also retweeted a post from the Opposition One Bermuda Alliance showing Simons also receiving the vaccine.
“Thanks to the Opposition Leader for joining us today as we lead from the front.”
One Bermuda Alliance in the Tweet said Simons, the Premier and the Health Minister “joined hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and save lives. A healthy population has the potential to build a healthy economy, which benefits all Bermudians.”
In a release Sunday, a Health Ministry spokesperson reported there would be two vaccination events Monday.
The first was at 10am the newly created Vaccination Centre, with people who be the first recipients of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which arrived in Bermuda on Friday evening.
Those scheduled to receive the vaccine are healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers, corrections officers, personnel at the ports of entry and teachers, all groups who are at risk for higher levels of exposure to the coronavirus according to Health Minister Kim Wilson.
The spokesperson reported the second event would take place at 1pm at the Vaccination Centre, with Wilson, Premier David Burt, and the Government’s Scientific Advisor Dr Carika Weldon receiving the vaccination.
On Friday evening Health Minister Kim Wilson announced that the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had arrived on the British Airways flight from London.
Wilson stated, “The first shipment for 9,750 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived, as scheduled, on the British Airways flight. The Department of Customs paperwork has been completed and the vaccine is being immediately taken to a secure storage facility.”
Monday’s COVID-19 updated reported that there were four new COVID-19 cases taking the total recorded confirmed cases to 656. There are 90 active cases, of which eight are in hospital with one in critical care. The number of COVID-19-related deaths remains at 12.