What news on covid vaccines?

THE EDITOR: When I received my annual influenza shot in October at Trincity Mall, I asked about getting an updated covid19 vaccine shot.

However, the Ministry of Health officials told me they had none to give.

Then in December, I visited a private medical institution, where I made the same inquiry, and was told there was none in the country, and since I was travelling to the US soon, I should seek to get it there. I eventually travelled to the States, but I didn’t get the opportunity to get vaxxed as advised.

If we really have no updated covid vaccines in this country (and I am calling on the ministry to confirm this), then it means someone has dropped the ball.

If this be the case, it is mind-boggling that after the fantastic effort made by the ministry and Government to deal with the covid threat at the height of the pandemic, they have now become so blasé about it. It seems they (delusionally?) believe it’s no longer necessary to procure covid vaccines for the citizenry.

I am aware that these vaccines are very costly, and I am also aware that quite a number was destroyed because of the antivax mentality of a significant portion of the population.

But do these factors mean that the ministry and by extension the Government should abandon their responsibility to provide the vaccine to those of us who would like to have it?

Is it that they expect private medical institutions to now fill the role 100 per cent? I hope Mr Deyalsingh will provide the answers.

In the meantime, US news networks, including NBC and CBS, are reporting that covid cases, led by a new variant of the virus, are on the rise in that part of the world. And there have been deaths.

Considering this information, and given the expected influx of visitors from the US for the intense Carnival season, shouldn’t the Government and the ministry be doing something to help citizens – especially fete-loving, mas-playing ones like me – protect ourselves against these recent variants?

I am cognisant of the fact that the current strains are reportedly not as virulent as the earlier ones, but I subscribe to the sayings that prevention is far better than cure, and that it is better to be safe than sorry.

Over to you, Mr Minister.

CLAUDE A JOB

St Joseph