Vaccinate and operate depends on you

It is heartening to see that several countries globally are slowly restarting their economies, after almost two years lost to the covid19 pandemic. Locally, the business community, just like the general population, is eager for reopening safely. However, like other countries, successfully restarting the economy will largely hinge on a vaccinated population of at least 70 per cent.

To help make this a reality, the TT Chamber has joined with the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) and the TT Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) to operate a vaccination site, which opened earlier this week, on July 19. It will continue to operate for 60 days or until all vaccines have been dispensed. The site at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) is open to the public and is utilising an appointment system.

Delivering vaccines is a major undertaking but one that we consider essential to a safe reopening of the economy as soon as possible. To get the site up and running, the three lead business development organisations named above were able to draw on the strength of their networks to get invaluable advice and assistance. Through these efforts, the private sector will be covering all the costs related to operationalisation such as site management, administration of 200 staff and volunteers, meals or refreshments, requisite equipment, which includes refrigerators, tents, generators, sanitation stations and garbage disposal, among others.

The Sinopharm vaccines were given at no cost by the Government from the latest shipment to arrive in the country. The vaccination site is observing all protocols consistent with the Ministry of Health’s regulations and practice.

Individual appointments may be made via our online portal
vaccinate.org.tt, accessible by computer, phone or tablet. Or you can reserve blocks of time for you and your staff or other groups through your HR department populating a CSV file with the required details. Follow all instructions carefully when filling out the online form.

Once you have completed filling out the bio-data, a copy of the form will be auto-generated. You must bring this form with you when you arrive for your appointment, along with the same type of ID you entered online. We do expect that everyone will respect the times booked to allow for the most efficient service when you arrive.

At the site, you will be asked to manually fill out a duplicate copy of your auto-generated online form and will have to answer some pre-screening questions. All information collected is highly confidential and will be shared only with the Ministry of Health as a matter of record.

Before you receive your shot, your information will be assessed and provided you qualify (as most people do) you will be administered the vaccination. You are then placed in an observation area for about 15 minutes to minimise any possible risk of an adverse reaction. However in the unlikely event that this occurs, an ambulance with paramedics is on standby to take you to emergency care. Providing all goes well as expected, your form is completed and you will be required to return to the same venue for your second dose.

The Chamber, Amcham and the TTCSI are aware of the risks – both health and economic – that an unvaccinated population can pose to our country. We are undertaking this initiative as we believe that we have a responsibility to do our part in the effort to vaccinate the country and to ensure that businesses and their employees have access to vaccines. It is our hope that over the next two months enough of our population will be vaccinated so we achieve herd immunity.

Vaccine hesitancy will only delay a return to a more normal life. Get vaccinated. Book your appointment at vaccinate.org.tt.

(Courtesy the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce)