Vaccines at Magdalena Grand from Saturday

An additional vaccination site at the Magdalena Grand Beach & Golf Resort in Tobago will open on Saturday.

This is being done specifically for the construction and tourism sectors, says general manager of primary care at the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) Dr Roxanne Mitchell.

At the Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development’s virtual news briefing on Thursday, she said: “The site would operate from 8 am to 4 am. We will however begin with the exclusive vaccination of members of the construction industry and the tourism industry.”

She said vaccines have been secured for these workers.

“They do not need to descend at the health centres – your contractors have submitted the names. If you have not yet submitted your name to your contractor, to your employer – please do so, so that we can assign the appointments for you.”

She said there are other special groups on the island who are also looking for special dates.

“What we would do, as soon as we begin to roll out and to take care of the construction industry and the tourism industry, for which we have gotten a specific allocation of vaccines, we would then accommodate a number of the other groups that have been asking for special considerations once the vaccines for these groups have been secured as well.”

Mitchell said, until then people are asked to register and await an appointment.

In the interim, she said vaccination continues by appointment only. She reported that earlier in the week a number of people descended on the health centres demanding to be vaccinated on a walk-in basis.

“Vaccinations are not by walk-in. Vaccinations continue on the island of Tobago by appointment system.

“Persons are asked to register for the first dose only. We have to sort the list because persons are registering for second doses and some of the appointment dates are going to second-dose persons for the Sinopharm.

“We now have to cross reference the list to exclude these persons delaying us sending out appointments to first-dose persons.”

She said the dates will be posted publicly for the second doses as the logistics are being worked out for people to receive their second doses within the recommended time.

“You second dose is still on schedule. You will receive your second dose within the stipulated period of eight to 12 weeks, so you do not have to register for those vaccines.”

Mitchell said there is an increse in demand for the vaccines on the island. She said, to date 7,235 shots have been delivered with 6,831 receiving their first dose and 404 people receiving both doses.

This figure, she said, represents approximately six per cent of people who have received both doses with a further 10,759 on the waiting list for the first dose.

Questioned about a drive-through vaccination process, she said that is not being considered at this time.

“The drive-through process would need a large space for persons to park, as well as we’re going to have health care workers a little more mobile in terms of monitoring clients within their vehicles.

“Our human resource capacity does not allow for us to do that on a large scale just yet. As such, we would not be hanging our hat a little higher than we can reach at present.

“If and when we do get the human resource capacity and the spacing capacity that would allow for that to happen, it would be considered.