Tobago hotelier: Gov't should work with churches to vaccinate

Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association vice president Carol-Ann Birchwood James believes the Government’s covid19 marketing strategy, Vaccinate to Operate, is not resonating with citizens, especially in Tobago.

She believes Government should work with the churches, and focus on house-to-house interaction within communities.

“That would be a better option for Tobago where the hesitancy is still so high,” Birchwood-James told Newsday.

The THA Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development is embarking on an intense community drive this week, particularly in Tobago East, to increase significantly the level of vaccinations.

At the division’s virtual media briefing last Thursday, line secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine lamented that 60 per cent of the island’s population was still unvaccinated. As a result, she warned that Tobago could soon face a medical crisis if there is not an increase in the level of vaccinations.

Davidson-Celestine said, “The uptake is not one that we are comfortable with at this point.”

On Saturday, during the Prime Minister’s news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Dr Rowley noted that the national rate of vaccination is way below the Government’s expectations despite the availability of four different types of vaccines.

Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh revealed that only 503, 239 people have received the first of any of the vaccines, which represents 36 per cent of the population. He added only 389,317 people – 28 per cent of the population – have accessed their second dose.

Deyalsingh also revealed that only 25 per cent of school children between the ages of 12 and 18 got their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Dr Rowley said if there is a significant increase in vaccinations, churches, mosques, mandirs and other places of worship, will be allowed to resume services from September 6. He urged religious leaders to encourage their faithful to get vaccinated.

Birchwood-James said the Government should meet with religious leaders.

“You need to call in all of your pastors and have a chat with them as much as possible because they (Government) saying if they have an uptake the in vaccination they might be able to do something with the churches.

“So, for Tobago, which has a small population, call in the pastors. It might be possible for them to vaccinate people after or before church.”

She suggested that tents be set up near the compounds of places of worship so that medical personnel could vaccinate people.

Birchwood-James also supports the Government’s decision to allow only vaccinated students – particularly in forms four, five and six – to return to face-to-face classes by October 1.

“They seem to have made some decision as far as the schoolchildren are concerned, those in forms four, five and six, because at some point you have to make the decision whether you want your child to do face-to-face school of if they are going to do virtual school.”

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