Woman in covid19 vaccine mix-up to get medical help

Health personnel administering covid19 vaccines have been retrained and re-advised to prevent future mix-ups of vaccines given to patients.

So said Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, who confirmed that on Thursday, he met and spoke with a 34-year-old woman who was given the wrong second vaccine in August.

"We did a post-mortem as to what happened, and although this is an isolated case, we have to make sure it does not happen again," Deyalsingh said.

"We have ordered a total revamp on how we question people, because the main responsibility lies with us, to make sure people get the correct vaccine."

The minister spoke to reporters at the covid19 vaccination road trip drive at SuperPharm in Marabella on Friday. The drive is a collaboration with the South West Regional Health Authority.

The mix-up, reported by this newspaper, happened at a mass vaccination drive at the heliport in Chaguaramas.

The woman, who asked to remain unnamed, said she got a first dose of AstraZeneca. But when she returned for her second dose, she was given Sinopharm.

Having spoken with her personally on Thursday, Deyalsingh said he understood the facts of the case.

"I asked the director of health at the North West Regional Health Authority, Dr Anthony Parkinson, to treat with her medically, clinically and psychologically," Deyalsingh said. "She is set to have the second dose of her correct vaccine next week.

"She is well and has no adverse effects, although psychologically she is concerned, as anybody would be.

He said Parkinson also met and talked with her.