PM to take covid19 vaccine in October

THE Prime Minister on Sunday said he could receive his first dose of a World Health Organization (WHO) approved covid19 vaccine in October.

Dr Rowley made this disclosure as he dismissed a call by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal for him to take a shot of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine.

Moonilal made the call as he responded to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh's condemnation of him claiming that the population were being used as "guinea pigs" for the vaccine and its efficacy was unknown.

Rowley was scheduled to receive his first dose on April 6, when the first tranche of 33,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in TT.

But he was diagnosed with covid19 on that day and went into quarantine at the Prime Minister's official residence in Blenheim, Tobago, for a mandatory period of two weeks. Dr Rowley was diagonsed covid19 negative on April 26 and subsequently came out of quarantine.

He said, "The WHO guideline is that if one was positive for covid then one should allow a period of six months to pass before being vaccinated." Rowley continued, "That was stated when I came out of isolation at the end of April. It was stated then that I could be vaccinated in October."

Moonilal said Rowley "must take this vaccine in a full media and public event and show confidence by the highest level of leadership."

Moonilal said Deyalsingh was attacking him for "saying what others said before."

He quipped, "I would have thought he saw me idling on the Brian Lara Promenade and was in shock and tears."

As an elected MP, Moonilal said his role is to raise critical, uncomfortable and disturbing questions.

"I am not in a popularity contest. There are persons who believe our policy should be 'doh say nothing and hope for the best.'"

He reiterated that all he did was raise questions raised by other people and reported in the international media.

"This does not mean the vaccine is bad. But that is the issue. A real issue."

Moonilal, took his first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Marabella Health Centre on April 24.

"I support an extensive vaccination programme and indeed availed myself when that moment came."

He said caution should be exercised with a "multiplicity of vaccines coming to our shores."

In response, Rowley said, "I notice the full praise and commendation he ascribes to the UNC for being the first in everything good and clear."

But Rowley added that Moonilal forgot to mention other things the UNC was first in, since the pandemic began. "Stock up, with hydroxychloroquine, the treatment; don’t close bars and business; don't close the border; don’t register Venezuelans; sunshine does kill covid; drink puncheon and lime; don't force people to wear masks; vaccinate without vaccines; India will save us because they are saving the world and build a dome around the country."

He observed that Moonilal "had chronicled all the negatives that he could find on the Chinese vaccine." Rowley added, "Apparently he could not find the hundreds of similar issues raised on Astra Zeneca and the other vaccines. That is what happens when you are intellectually dishonest."

At a news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann's on May 7, Deyalsingh said the promised 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine will be shipped to TT this week. A second tranch of 33,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are due to arrive in TT on Monday.