Kamla: Crowds for covid19 vaccines show need for inquiry

OPPOSITION leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the mad rush which saw thousands gathered outside health centres and vaccination sites on Wednesday galvanises her point that a commission of inquiry is needed to examine the Government's response to the pandemic.

In a post on her Facebook page, amid social media awash with images and videos of the mass gatherings, Persad-Bissessar said the chaos and confusion witnessed were another reminder of a failed Government.

She said the gatherings could very well be a superspreader event.

"What we are witnessing is the mother of all ironies where during a state of emergency to control and curb covid19, we have a super spreader situation happening with public vaccination.

"It is nothing short of a nightmare as our nation is already grappling with a high death and infection rate."

She said the mad rush on Wednesday was akin to what took place at Easter after the Prime Minister invited thousands to vacation in Tobago.

She described the walk-in system on Wednesday as a flop and again called on Government to partner with all stakeholders in the fight against covid19.

She said that so many thousands were willing to stand for hours outside health centres and vaccination sites on Wednesday showed the population is fed up, frustrated, suffering and is craving a return to some form of normalcy.

But sadly, she added, there is no leadership and another spike in Trinidad and Tobago's covid19 numbers looms with the disaster that unfolded on Wednesday.

Persad-Bissessar said if she were prime minister today, a pandemic plan would already have been implemented to ensure vaccines were sourced very early to prevent the death of hundreds and ensure a swift reopening of the economy.

She outlined her plans as being:

– a mass vaccination drive so herd immunity can be achieved without putting citizens at risk;

– partnering with private hospitals and doctors to have vaccines available at their facilities;

–partnering with religious bodies with medical staff deployed at large churches, mosques and temples to aid in vaccination;

– partnering with NGOs such as Living Water and others to reach the immigrant population;

– partnering with corporate TT;

– partnering with the Opposition and local government bodies to have a vaccination roll out in all 41 constituencies;

– partnering with sporting bodies to volunteer and have to drive-through vaccination at all stadia and;

– partnering with denominational school boards to uise schools to have teachers and principals vaccinated.