Tobago senior citizens urged: Take the vaccine

President of the Tobago Association of the Elderly (TATE) Rudolph Hypolite has urged senior citizens to take the vaccine as a safeguard against contracting covid19.

At present, the Oxford AstraZeneca and the Sinopharm vaccines are available in TT.

The THA Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development reported on Friday there were ten new covid19 patients on the island and 122 active cases.

Tobago’s covid19 death toll stands at 23.

Currently, a total of 3,146 people in Tobago have been fully vaccinated. The division is hoping to vaccinate at least 36,000 people on the island to achieve herd immunity.

“I would advise that they take the vaccine because there is no alternative at this time. We have no option at this time but to take the vaccine,” Hypolite said.

Hypolite, who recently got his second dose of AstraZeneca at the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, Lowlands, said the few senior citizens with whom he interacts have already been inoculated.

“I have not seen any hesitation up to this point.”

He spoke to reporters on Friday after the Sister Martha Foundation presented the association with 25 oximeters at the Rockley Vale Senior Citizens Activity Centre. The presentation was made by Nigel Walcott, managing director of Island Living Co Ltd, agents for the Sister Martha Foundation.

The foundation, headed by Victoria St Clair and her daughter, Wendy Crenshaw, is a senior activity centre at Silk Cotton Trace, Bon Accord.

Walcott described the oximeters as lifesavers.

“These are the things they use to basically test the level of oxygen in your body, especially in this covid (19) time, to let you know if you are surviving or dying,” he said.

Walcott said the foundation intends to bring 200 oximeters into the country within the next two months.

He said TATE will then distribute them to families across the island.

“Those families must have seniors in them. That is a requirement. But they can use it for the whole family so that persons will be able to measure the level of oxygen in their system and know if they need to seek medical attention based on the levels that they have.”

Walcott said the foundation also delivers medical supplies to senior citizens in need.