By Sue-Ann Wayow
SOME 38,000 AstraZenca Covid-19 vaccines that were being held to be used as second doses for persons already vaccinated will now be used as a first dose.
This announcement was made by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at a press briefing on Thursday, his first such public engagement since contracting the Covid-19 virus. He has since tested negative.
Dr Rowley said Trinidad and Tobago will continue to use only vaccines that are World Health Organisation (WHO) approved.
The Prime Minister said, “We are holding in our hands now about 38,000 doses of vaccines that we were holding in the event that no more was coming to us in the very near future and that would have been used to be the second dose on those persons who were vaccinated. We have taken a decision to date that we will use those vaccines as first dose applications for person who are to be to be vaccinated.”
Dr Rowley said it was better to have at least one dose of the vaccine than none.
“With one dose, science is showing that you get about 65% protection,” he said.
Should the other vaccine shipments do not arrive on scheduled time, almost 80,000 people would have at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine Dr Rowley said.
