On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. At that time, the WHO noted deep concern both because of the alarming levels of spread and severity, and because of the disturbing levels of inaction. Countries around the world were called upon to take action to contain the virus and Gibraltar was no exception to this. Nurses around the globe—inspirational nurses—stepped up to the plate during the height of COVID-19 and are still dealing with its ravages, such as long COVID, ongoing vaccination programmes and public health needs and health education.
In Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, British forces were originally drafted in to support deployment, share intelligence and assist with the setting up of our Nightingale Hospital. With the infrastructure in place, Gibraltar was equipped and set up to provide care and support to the nation as well its health and social care staff.
Since the start of the pandemic, nurses have been on the frontlines, offering care for those who are affected, being the lifeline between patients and their families, providing education to the public on how to prevent infection and, for the past year, nurses have been delivering COVID-19 vaccines globally.
On Tuesday 8 December 2020 the first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was administered in the UK. Gibraltar followed suit, with the first Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine being administered at St Bernard's Hospital in Gibraltar on 10 January 2021. We have administered more than 108 577 vaccines since January 2021 (HM Government of Gibraltar, 2022). This includes 3264 jabs to the 12-16-year-old group and 392 in the 5-11-year-old group, in a population of just under 34 000. Our vaccination programme continues. The Royal Air Force airlifted vaccines from the UK to Gibraltar to be stored frozen and then in the early hours of the morning taken out of the freezer to be defrosted and ready for use that day. A massive team effort was in operation, involving not only health and care services but also cross-government departmental services, including the police and pharmacists.
‘Nurses around the globe stepped up to the plate during the height of COVID-19’
The vaccination programme has saved countless lives and it has helped to prevent our health service from becoming overwhelmed. Vaccinations are administered in our hospital, clinics, prison and schools and visits are made to those who are housebound.
With the emergence of the Omicron variant, following advice from the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and our own public health experts, Gibraltar expanded the booster programme to all adults over 18 years. We also announced that all eligible people would be offered a top-up jab. We are now offering a fourth jab to the population. Our vaccination programme, established at extraordinary speed, has been an incredible success and one of which we are very proud. Gibraltar has one of the highest COVID-19 vaccine uptake rates in the world.
Although landscapes may have changed the one constant, the one permanent feature throughout the pandemic (before and beyond), is the presence of nurses. We celebrate nurses not only on International Nurses Day but every day. Nurses go above and beyond; they are calculated risk takers, skilled clinical decision makers, proactive as they always have been, engendering a community effort signalling that we are all in this together and we do what we do best—we nurse. The theme for International Nurses Day 2022 is ‘Nursing the world back to health’, focusing on the true value of nurses to the people of the world.
As we celebrate this year's International Nurses Day, it is apposite that we all reflect on the important role that nurses play in keeping people healthy across the lifespan, across the world. Our role has always been in a constant state of flux as we respond to the ever-changing needs of people and communities. We have seen our profession rise to meet the vast challenge of the pandemic.
The health and social care landscape in Gibraltar and globally has changed but this has ever been thus. The war in Ukraine now poses more challenges and threats to the international community, which is striving to improve global healthcare outcomes, endeavouring to offer high-quality care from a local, national and international perspective. Nursing is a profession that is founded on the care of others and is playing a vital role.
Delivering vaccines equitably across countries and within countries has the real potential to improve population immunity, reduce deaths and transmission of the disease and to diminish the risk of new variants developing. Gibraltar is fully subscribed to and has endorsed the WHO target of vaccine equity (WHO, 2021) for the most vulnerable and high-risk groups in Gibraltar, regardless of their social or economic background.
We are aware in Gibraltar that the battle against the virus is not over yet. Vaccines remain our first and best line of defence. Meanwhile, we are still delivering services that are responsive to the needs of our population and staff are pulling together more than ever before. I would like to say a huge thank you to all nurses, near and far.