[UPDATED] Vaccines available to public at NAPA

A LARGE-SCALE private covid19 vaccination drive, originally intended for members of the business community, has been opened up to the public until August 31.

The drive, at the National Academy of the Performing Arts, opposite the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain, is organised by the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham), the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce, and the TT Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI), with assistance from corporate donors and private volunteers.

It began on Monday and will run from 11am-6pm or sometimes later, to facilitate as many registrants as possible per day on a walk-in basis.

After Tuesday, however, vaccinations at NAPA will resume on Friday. The two-day break is to avoid burnout among the limited number of volunteers.

Speaking with Newsday on Tuesday, Amcham CEO Nirad Tewarie said the Sinopharm vaccine was available in abundance, and encouraged the public to seize the opportunity to combat the spread of the virus.

"We had been facilitating (the public) where we can," said Tewarie. "It is a totally private-sector-funded initiative to help with the objective of achieving herd immunity,"

The Ministry of Health is providing the vaccines, while the TT Medical Association is responsible for many of the volunteers.

"Their doctors are volunteering and doing yeoman service, as well as a number of volunteers who have been here yesterday and today, whole day, trying to help the process move along."

Organisers will, however, need additional volunteers to administer vaccines en masse as the weeks progress and particular on weekends, when, Tewarie said, crowds often pick up.

"The more people we have to (administer vaccines) the more people we could jab.

"Vaccines are not a problem at this point," Tewarie assured. "The ministry is making them available and we are co-ordinating with the (medical) association, so at this point the vaccine (availability) is not a problem."

Tewarie said its members "really stepped up," as he thanked the corporate sponsors and the partnering chambers and organisers.

Registration picked up throughout the day on Tuesday, perhaps as word got around that the vaccines were being made public. By 5 pm, over 1,000 shots had been administered, Tewarie told Newsday, more than for the whole of Monday.

A short distance away, the Paddock at the Queen's Park Savannah saw much quieter scenes compared to the previous week, when government announced vaccines would be administered to people who work in the food and beverage industry. Scores turned out but could not get their shots.

Newsday spoke with a couple who returned on Tuesday morning to ample parking and seating.

A worker directing people said only those in the food and beverage industry would receive a shot and they would have to provide documentation to prove their work status. The food-service industry reopened on Monday.

While some did, those receiving shots at the Savannah today were not required to preregister.

A mother and daughter told Newsday they arrived early at the site at 7.30am and both promptly received their vaccines when the process started after 8am.

They said it went smoothly. The mother said they don't know the name of the doctor, but said he was warm and friendly, and her adult daughter said she was just happy to have received a sweetie for her co-operation.

Anyone wishing to volunteer can contact Amcham representative Kavita Chankar at 776-1741.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Members of the public can go to a vaccination site at NAPA, Port of Spain, today to be vaccinated against covid19.

Initially open to members of the business community, the vaccination drive was initiated by the American Chamber of Commerce of TT (AmCham) and the TT Chamber Industry of Commerce.

They are now allowing members of the public to register and receive shots. The exercise is scheduled to run from 11am-7pm.

Amcham said it continues to reserve "blocks of time" for staff and relatives of its members throughout the process.

People interested in receiving the vaccine are only required to bring one form of ID.

After Tuesday, vaccinations at NAPA will resume on Friday. The two-day break is to avoid burnout among the limited number of volunteers.

A few people were seated under tents waiting when Newsday visited at about 9.30am.

A few minutes' walk away, the Paddock at the Queen's Park Savannah was quiet in comparison with late last week, when numerous workers from the food and beverage industry went to receive their shots. Up to about mid-morning, only about half the seating provided was occupied.

A worker directing people said only those in the food and beverage industry would receive a shot and they would have to provide documentation to prove their work status. The food-service industry reopened on Monday

While some did, those receiving shots at the Savannah on Tuesday were not required to preregister.

mother and daughter told Newsday they arrived early at the site at 7.30am and both promptly received their vaccines when the process started after 8am.

They said it went smoothly. The mother said they don't know the name of the doctor, but said he was warm and friendly, and her adult daughter said she was just happy to have received a sweetie for her co-operation.