B E Y O N D | J A N . T O M A R . 2 0 2 2 | I S S U E 2 7The COVID-19 outbreak caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World HealthOrganization on 11th March 2020. Since the detection of the first case of COVID-19 in Brunei Darussalam on9thMarch 2020, the country has gone through the second wave of the pandemic on 7th August 2021 after thedetection of the first community spread of SARS-CoV-2 after 457 days without community infection, and iscurrently in the third wave of the pandemic when the Omicron variant of coronavirus was detected in localcases on 7th February 2022. Vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection are considered the most promisingapproach for curbing the pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines provide strong protection against serious illness,hospitalization and death. There is also evidence that being vaccinated will make it less likely for that personto pass the virus on to others. Vaccinated individuals must continue taking steps to protect themselves andothers. This includes frequent hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing, as well as adherence tonational and local rules on contact-tracing, quarantining and other public health measures.The Brunei National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme was rolled out on 3 April 2021. The vaccine distributionstrategy was divided into 3 phases, with Phase 1 vaccination for frontliners, senior citizens, and studentsintending to study abroad, phase 2 for child care centre staff, teachers and adults with comorbidities, andphase 3 for the general public. On 8th November 2021, the country rolled out its COVID-19 vaccinationprogramme for school children and adolescents of 12 – 17 year age group. Booster shots or third dose vaccinesfor individuals aged 18 and above were started on 17th December 2021. On 21st August 2021, in response tothe government’s demand in ramping up the National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme in order to achieve80% vaccination coverage in the population during second wave of the pandemic in the country, a satellitevaccination centre at the PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, UBD was opened. The UBD Vaccination Centre(UBD VC) was staffed by about 200 staff and student volunteers. The centre had been delivering up to 1,800doses of vaccines a day. A group of doctors volunteered to man the Doctor’s Stations at the UBD VC. This group of 9 doctors comprisedof the teaching faculty members of the BHSc Medicine progamme, an Assistant Vice Chancellor of theuniversity and the current and past Deans of PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences. This group of doctors allpossessed vast clinical experience and some were practicing physicians. The roles and responsibilities of thedoctors on duty at the UBD VC were to provide advice on vaccine related matters and to decide on whetherindividuals can proceed with the COVID-19 vaccination based on their clinical status and the Ministry ofHealth’s Health Care Practitioner Guidelines and vaccine protocols for the specific vaccines. Otherresponsibilities included the management of individuals who required medical attention on site aftervaccination, referral of individuals to health clinics or Emergency Department at RIPAS Hospital depending onthe urgency of case, and the referral of individuals with a history of anaphylaxis and severe allergies to RIPASHospital for vaccination.UBD VC was operational during working days from 21st August 2021 to 30th December 2021 and on 6thJanuary 2022. During the period, a total of 79,355 doses of vaccines were administered. Table 1 (see below)shows the distribution of types of vaccines and whether the vaccines were given as first dose, second dose orthird/booster dose. 3F R O M T H E D O C T O R ’ S S T A T I O N A T T H E U N I V E R S I T I B R U N E I D A R U S S A L A MV A C C I N A T I O N C E N T R EProfessor Dr. Kenneth Yuh Yen Kok (Professor of Clinical Academia) Table 1. The types, timing, and number of COVID-19 vaccinesadministered by UBD Vaccination Centre.The majority of the public received Modernavaccine in UBD VC, comprising of 36.7% of thedoses administered. This was followed by Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (34.0%), Oxford-AstraZenecavaccine (19.0%) and Sinopharm BBIBP vaccine(10.3%). Of the total number of dosesadministered, 33,025 doses (41.7%) were givenas first doses, 32,968 doses (41.5%) as seconddoses and 13,362 doses (16.8%) as third/boosterdoses.A total of 1,295 consultations were recorded at the Doctor’s Station during the period when UBD VC wasoperational. The consultations were related to individuals’ clinical conditions and whether they could proceedwith the COVID-19 vaccination based on the Health Care Professional Guidelines for the relevant vaccines. Themost common reason for the consultation were individuals on anticoagulants and antiplatelet medications.Some of the individuals’ vaccination had to be deferred because of their existing medical condition thatrequired more urgent attention and management. These individuals were referred to their nearest healthclinics or Emergency Department of RIPAS Hospital depending on the urgency of the individuals’ conditions.Individuals with history of severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis were referred to RIPAS Hospital, as perMinistry of Health’s guidelines that stated that individuals with pervious anaphylaxis should be referred forvaccination in a hospital setting.
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