Tunapuna MP: 'Pull your Sleeves Up for covid19 vaccines'

While businesses have been called to vaccinate to operate, Tunapuna MP Esmond Forde is calling on parents to vaccinate to educate.

Forde pleaded with parents to get their children 12-18 vaccinated while speaking to parents and children at the Supermarket Association’s (SATT) vaccination site at Centre Pointe Mall, Chaguanas, on Saturday.

The site is run in partnership with Sewa TT and is one of the many sites operationalised by the Ministry of Health to vaccinate children 12-18 with the Pfizer covid19 vaccine.

“I must say a special mention to Mr (SATT president Rajiv) Diptee and the Supermarket Association for hosting yet another fantastic drive in ensuring we vaccinate to operate.

“But we need to change the term a little bit now…vaccinate to educate because we now have the children and students, 12-18 years, being vaccinated.

“We are all in this together. The quicker we vaccinate, is the quicker we’ll be able to operate, is the quicker we’ll be able to educate our children,” said Forde.

Apart from asking parents to do their due diligence, Forde also called on vaccinated children to encourage their friends and family to get vaccinated.

He reminded children that there must be a high vaccination rate among students for schools to be able to reopen physically.

“When you go back home (after getting vaccinated), call your friends, call your cousin, call all your families and let them know that I took my vaccine today…have you taken yours?”

“It’s an important question because in order for us to open up schools, we must get you all vaccinated.

“So it’s important, to ensure that for schools to open up, you get your first dose and you get your second dose.”

Diptee volunteered at the Costatt vaccination site in El Dorado, on Thursday, when he met Forde and invited him to visit the association’s site.

After touring SATT’s vaccination site on Saturday, Forde praised the association and Sewa TT on the layout of the site and for having a smooth vaccination process.

In Forde’s constituency, he is working with members of the Tunapuna Youth Desk (TYD) to get unvaccinated people, especially young people, vaccinated.

Forde and the youth group recently launched the Sleeves Up campaign to encourage people to take the jab.

He explained the campaign’s name was coined by TYD’s chairman Mikhael Campbell.

So far, as part of the campaign, discussions and seminars have been held throughout the Tunapuna constituency to combat vaccine misinformation and dispel hesitancy.

For the campaign, Forde wrote a jingle called Sleeves Up with chutney soca artiste Chris Garcia who performed the jingle live on Saturday at SATT’s vaccination site.

“As we all know, to take vaccine, you must roll up your sleeve.

“We are going to mic the area, in the Tunapuna constituency, in order to get out those people who still need to be vaccinated,” said Forde as he explained the idea behind the song.

Hallie Bootkoon, 16, was one of the children vaccinated at SATT’s site.

She told Sunday Newsday, “I have a couple friends who got vaccinated Wednesday and yesterday (Friday).

“I was a bit sceptical (of the vaccine) at first because of the side effects but it all depends on your body and how you will react to it.

Bootkoon said she had a smooth vaccination process and is now looking forward to getting her second Pfizer jab.

Hallie’s mom, Vanessa Bootkoon, said, “I read a lot of the information that was being put out there (about the vaccine), the negative and the positive.

“And, I wanted my daughter to have the best possible chance to thrive in this covid environment because it’s here and it’s something we have to deal with.

“To me, getting the vaccine was the best possible option for her in order to live with covid19.”

She said also wants her daughter to be able to safely go to school physically, socialise with her friends and enjoy the outdoors.

Bootkoon’s message to other parents, especially those who may be hesitant, is to do proper research on the covid19 vaccine in order to make the best choice for their children.

She added, “To me, it’s better to have a fighting chance than no chance at all and with the vaccine, it’s a fighting chance.

“So, I will encourage every parent to take the vaccine for their kids and give them that fighting chance as well.”

In addition to walking away with their first jab, children vaccinated at SATT’s site also walked away with giveaways from Angostura and Blue Waters.