Tobago health workers to get covid19 vaccine on Saturday

The first covid19 shots will be given out on Saturday at the Scarborough Health Centre, starting with frontline doctors and nurses in Tobago.

The AstraZeneca covid19 vaccine will be given out from 10 am.

The Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development said in a statement on Friday some 200 doses of the first vaccines were delivered to Tobago on Thursday.

This covers 100 health care workers in the first phase of the vaccine distribution and is part of the 2,000 doses that were donated to TT from the Barbados Government.

Dr Roxanne Mitchell, Acting general manager, Primary Care Services, TRHA, described the arrival of the vaccines as “a significant milestone in the recovery and building up of resistance against the covid19 disease…which had negative impacts affecting social interactions, financial security and mental health wellbeing.”

Mitchell explained: “This vaccine allows us a path to recovering socially and economically from covid19. It also allows us to resume our interpersonal and global interactions.”

She added: “However, each of us must make that step towards recovery by stepping up and playing our role. We must protect ourselves and those around us if we are to move forward.”

The statement said a high-level team from the division visited the space where the vaccines will be stored for distribution on Thursday in preparation for the receipt of the vaccines.

Secretary of Health Wellness and Family Development Tracy Davidson-Celestine, who was present at the visit to the storage facility, said: “Our teams have been preparing and we are excited to have the first phase of shots available to our healthcare workers. I can’t wait to take the vaccine.

“But, of course, priority right now is for the health care workers who have greater exposure for infection. Like the public we will have to wait our turn. We are ready to roll out.”

Dr Tiffany Hoyte, Ag county medical officer of health said the 200 doses will be used to vaccinate 100 frontline workers since each person has to receive two doses.”

Hoyte explained: “The healthcare workers who tend to the confirmed covid19 patients at our isolation facilities and those who tend to the cases at the stepdown facility will be very first persons afforded the opportunity to receive the vaccine, so that they can be protected going forward, to continue performing their valiant duties.”

The division said aside from the initial batch of vaccines, other doses will be shipped to TT through the Covax facility next week.

Hoyte said: “When these vaccines are received, we will vaccinate other healthcare workers as a top priority followed by the vaccination of persons with NCDs and persons over 60.

“We will then seek to vaccinate other frontline workers outside the healthcare spectrum such as police officer, fire officers, first responders etc.”