[UPDATED] Tobago, tourism, construction workers get jabs

Scores of workers from the tourism and construction sectors in Tobago turned out to the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, Lowlands, on Thursday, to get their first shots of the Sinopharm vaccine.

Last Saturday, a section of the resort was converted into a vaccination site to cater specifically to employees of the Magdalena and the construction sector, in the first instance.

In so doing, the Magdalena became Tobago’s fourth vaccination site. Vaccinations are also taking place at the Scarborough, Canaan and Roxborough health centres.

The workers were asked to complete registration forms to secure their appointments.

On Thursday, employees from both sectors said the process was smooth.

“I was shocked when the process was completed,” one tourism worker told Newsday.

The mother of three, who claimed she felt no immediate side effects, said she was apprehensive about taking the vaccine.

“But then when I looked at the numbers and the fact that the Government is preparing to open the borders, I believe that sooner or later I would have had to take it.”

She said some of her colleagues still have reservations about taking the vaccine.

Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association vice-president Carol-Ann Birchwood-James told Newsday that a total of 360 workers in the sector have signed up to be vaccinated.

“Many of our people have been called already and they still have construction workers to do. So, it looks as though we will be going beyond Friday (today),” she said.

Birchwood-James, who has already received her first dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, said the process was smooth.

She said health workers are allowed to vaccinate 150 employees from both sectors per day.

Birchwood-James said the sector is eagerly awaiting the news of a possible reopening of the borders.

But she noted the Prime Minister was silent on the issue when he addressed last Saturday’s news conference.

“We have no word on that yet but the Prime Minister said in four to six weeks time, they were thinking about opening up. He didn’t say anything last week. So, we just don’t know what to think.”

In the meantime, Birchwood-James reiterated vaccinations are the way to go if Tobago’s economy is to return to some semblance of normalcy.

“We are embracing it so we are allowing our people to be vaccinated.”

This story was originally published with the title "Tourism and construction workers get Sinopharm jabs at Magdalena" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

SCORES of workers from the tourism and construction sectors in Tobago turned out to the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort in Lowlands on Thursday to get their first shots of the Sinopharm covid19 vaccine.

Last Saturday, a section of the resort was converted into a vaccination site to cater specifically to employees of the Magdalena and the construction sector, in the first instance.

In so doing, the Magdalena became Tobago’s fourth vaccination site.

Vaccinations are also taking place at the Scarborough, Canaan and Roxborough health centres. The workers were asked to complete registration forms to secure their appointments. On Thursday, employees from both sectors said the process was smooth.

“I was shocked when the process was completed,” one tourism worker told Newsday.

The mother of three, who claimed she felt no immediate side effects, said she was apprehensive about taking the vaccine.

“But then when I looked at the numbers and the fact that the Government is preparing to open the borders, I believe that sooner or later I would have had to take it.”

She said some of her colleagues still have reservations about taking the vaccine.