TTRNA: Tobago nurses do not feel pressured to take covid19 jab

The Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association (TTRNA) has said unvaccinated nurses in Tobago are not under any undue pressure to take their jab ahead of the government’s January 14 vaccination deadline for public-sector workers.

On December 18, the Prime Minister declared all unvaccinated public servants must get their first jab by January 15 or be furloughed. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said subsequently there is a likelihood that those who have been furloughed may not be reinstated.

In an interview with Newsday on Friday, TTRNA second vice-president Letitia Cox said Tobago nurses have not yet been asked to provide proof of their vaccination status.

“The management has just been gathering numbers of persons who are vaccinated. But we are not getting that high level of anxiety from the Tobagonian nurses as yet.”

Cox recalled Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection Dr Faith BYisrael had both said they were not in favour of the government’s ultimatum that public-sector workers should be vaccinated by January 15 or be furloughed.

“So in their (THA) dialogue they will have to state the way forward for that,” she said.

Hence Cox believes Tobago nurses do not feel as pressured to be vaccinated as their Trinidadian counterparts.