Abdool-Richards appeals: Be honest about vaccinations

PRINCIPAL Medical Officer Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards appealed to people who are coming to various vaccination sites to be honest as to whether or not they have already received their first or second doses of any World Health Organization (WHO)-approved covid19 vaccine being offered at those locations.

She made this appeal to the public during the virtual health news conference on Monday.

Asked what is being done to determine whether people coming to various vaccination sites were not already vaccinated, Abdool-Richards said, "We would like members of the population to be honest in terms of receiving their vaccines at these sites."

She added, however: "The Ministry of Health does have records at our various sites, with the vaccines that would have been administered to persons. These records are kept not only by the regional health authorities but also by the expanded programme of immunisation, which is the department of the Ministry of Health, which leads the vaccination drive."

But Abdool-Richards said although there are "robust" record-keeping mechanisms in place, "We still would like to encourage persons to be honest and to be responsible, so that others who may not have had the chance to get the vaccine, or the opportunity, can obtain it.

"This is the only way forward as we try to achieve herd immunity."

Abdool-Richards thanked the population for their high levels of vaccine acceptance subsequent to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh's announcement last week of the donation of 82,500 AstraZeneca vaccines from Canada.

"As of 3 pm yesterday (Sunday) , there were 5,400 appointments that were made...4,600 online and 762 at calle centres. This response is quite heartening."

Asked about the donation of Pfizer vaccines from the United States, Abdool-Richards said the Prime Minister and Deyalsingh will make a subsequent announcement on a date and plan for receipt of the vaccines, once those details are confirmed.

At a virtual health news conference on August 7, Deyalsingh said the rollout of the 82,500 doses of Astrazenca would begin on Monday. He also said 31,330 AstraZeneca doses will expire at the end of August, and 50,700 will expire at the end of October.