PM: Schools could reopen even if children unvaccinated

THE Prime Minister says plans to reopen schools in September remain on track.

He was optimistic this can happen even if students are unvaccinated by the time the new school year begins.

At the post-Cabinet news conference at the Prime Minister's official residence in Blenheim, Tobago, Dr Rowley said, "We are keeping our eyes fixed on the school year in September, hoping to manage our affairs both in the vaccination programme and the other restrictions that are personal."

He said, "If we are in a position like this in September, we will open our schools, even with the children not being vaccinated." Rowley reiterated that Pfizer is the only covid19 vaccine which has been approved by the World Health Organization.

He said once Government can procure this vaccine, "We will take steps to vaccinate as many of our children as possible."

Rowley was concerned about reports that some teachers did not want to be vaccinated.

"I hope that is just a temporary setback there. I would like to have as many of our teachers vaccinated as we go forward."

He also said the risk of the delta variant entering Trinidad and Tobago is real and this is one of many reasons why people who have been not been vaccinated against covid19, should be encouraged to do so.

With TT's borders reopened, Rowley said, 'It is quite possible that that virus could end up among our population because the population of TT is mixing with the population of the United States in particular and other areas.

"We would be fooling ourselves to believe that we will go through the rest of the pandemic without any chance of the delta variant getting among us."

He reiterated that the best way to cater for the variant "if it comes our way, is to meet a vaccinated population."

Rowley said in other countries science is confirming vaccinated populations stand a better chance of protecting themselves once they are fully vaccinated.

With 477,000 shots administered to date (first and second dose), 700,000 doses of covid19 vaccines still in stock and efforts to procure additional doses ongoing, Rowley said, "We need to step up and have more people vaccinated."

Having already reopened the manufacturing, construction and food sectors of the economy, Rowley said the next major target for the Government is reopening schools in September and things seem to be on track for that at this time.

Reiterating that vaccination remains voluntary and the unvaccinated pose the greatest risk to themselves and other people, Rowley extended his condolences to the Heeraman family, who lost a grandmother, mother and daughter to covid19.

In Tobago, he said, 11,683 people in Tobago have received their first dose and 9,189 people have had their second dose. He said Tobago had requested 10,000 doses and it would receive them.