67% of Tobago vaccines go to most vulnerable

TRACY Davidson-Celestine, THA Secretary of Health, Wellness and Family Development, says over 67 per cent of the covid19 vaccines administered so far have been in keeping with the national policy of vaccinating the most vulnerable citizens first.

She made the statement in a WhatsApp voice note posted in the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development’s media chat on Friday.

She said: “More than 67 per cent of the covid19 vaccinations administered in Tobago so far are healthcare workers and persons over the age of 60."

Davidson-Celestine pointed out that this was in keeping with the priority listing for the Division of Health, the Tobago Regional Health Authority and the listing established by the Ministry of Health.

She added: “It is early days yet. It has only been three days since the first vaccines were administered," but she was pleased with the progress with regard to people signing up for the vaccine.

TT received 33,600 doses of AztraZeneca vaccines in the first tranche from Covax. Of that number, Tobago got 3,000 doses, enough to vaccinate 1,500 people.

This is the second arrival of vaccines in Tobago as on February 18 it received 200 doses, part of a gift of 2,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to TT from Barbados. These were offered to 100 healthcare professionals.

Vaccination is voluntary and Davidson-Celestine renewed her call for people to register.

“I must remind the public that the vaccines to be administered – the signing up and taking of the vaccines at this point – is basically on a voluntary basis, and so once those who are over the age of 60 with pre-existing conditions, once healthcare workers come forward to receive the vaccines, they will get vaccinated. Of course, we have established that they are priority.”

She said in the interim a decision was taken to vaccinate essential workers as well, and from the report she received they are coming forward.

“We are very pleased with the progress that we have made. We have aimed to vaccinate over 150 persons on a daily basis and persons are continuing to sign up. Based on the registration app that we have, we have recorded over 3,000 persons who are interested in the vaccines and that does not include those persons who walk in at our respective facilities.”