No crowds but small confusion at south vaccine sites

THERE were no crowds of people waiting outside health centres in South Trinidad on Monday to receive their covid19 vaccines. There were also no crowds at hardwares and bookstores in South Trinidad which were open for business on Monday.

At the La Romaine Health Centre, there were about six people standing outside on the pavement, all masked and well-spaced out. Inside the centre, elderly people were seen entering and exiting.

A 70-year-old man, who came to register his wife and himself to receive their first doses of the Sinopharm vaccine. He claimed a security guard at the centre was discourteous to him. "They should teach the people at the gate how to deal with the public."

The man said it was only when one of the medical personnel came to speak with him, he was told by that person that he was advised to take the names of people 60 years and over who came to the centre. "We were told on the TV, when they were talking (the Prime Minister and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh) from Wednesday, they can go to the health centre if you are on the database."

The man said he was told by staff that people who were inside the centre were receiving their second shot of the Sinopharm vaccine. "We were told not to come Monday or Tuesday. In fact, we were told not to come to line up. You will be called. So I came to give the information so that they can call me."

A woman said she was there to get her first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine. "They told us that no Sinopharm first shot is going to be given here today and we have to come back but they didn't say when."

The woman said, "When I came there were 20 persons in front of me."

At the Ste Madeleine Health Centre, there was no one waiting outside the centre to go inside. A staffer there said people were receiving their second doses of Sinopharm and those seeking their first dose of Sinopharm were advised to return on Wednesday.

One elderly man who received his second dose of Sinopharm was pleased with the process at the centre. "I got through very easy. All the walk-ins last week caused the problems." Another elderly man said he registered at the centre to come back for his first dose of Sinopharm on Wednesday. At the Marabella Health Centre, there were no crowds but a small flow of people who came to be vaccinated.

South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) officials at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA), said there were no problems with people coming to receive their second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine there. They said some people came earlier than their scheduled appointment times but the process was orderly throughout the day. There were no crowds but a small flow of people.

At Samlal, Seepersad and Bhagwansingh hardwares in Marabella, there were small lines of customers, as they reopened on Monday. One man said he was glad they were open because he needed to buy some paint. The situation was the same at RIK Bookstore in Marabella and Unique Bookstore in San Fernando which also opened on Monday, with small numbers of customers coming to make purchases and then leave.