By Sue-Ann Wayow
A CANADIAN man had to return home after arriving in Trinidad and Tobago with a mix of Covid-19 vaccines not recognised in T&T.
Alan Preddie told CTV News in Toronto that he arrived in Port-of-Spain on Thursday for his mother’s funeral scheduled for Monday.
He arrived with his wife and other relatives. Only those with the two doses of the same vaccine were allowed to stay.
Preddie said he had his first shot of Pfizer in April and then Moderna in June.
Due to his combination of vaccines which was not recognise by the T&T authorities, Preddie would have had to pay CAN$3,000 for state-supervised quarantine for a period of 14 days.
However, he could not wait for two weeks for the quarantine period to end and therefore returned home.
Praddie said, “I was placed on the next flight to Toronto. I was so angry. I’m so angry because the Canadian government told me to take these vaccines and it would be okay,” he said. “I trusted them and their science.”
“My mother and I were extremely close. I would call her four times a week if not more and talk and laugh. In Trinidad, I spent most of my vacations. This is so painful for me.”
He told CTV that he grew up in Trinidad and is fearful that he would not be able to say his last good-bye to his mother who died on June 30.
On Wednesday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said “The only vaccine mixing to be considered to be fully vaccinated in T&T as per our policy is first dose AstraZeneca, followed by a second dose Pfizer and two weeks.”
He added, “No other combination at this time…that could change if other recommendations come out… no other combination at this time will qualify you to be fully vaccinated in T&T to enter without being quarantined.”
T&T borders were opened on July 17, 2021 after being closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Travels to T&T must be fully vaccinated by the
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