By Sue-Ann Wayow
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley is making an appeal to all persons responsible for children to allow them to be vaccinated against Covid-19 once they fall in the necessary age group of 12 years and above.
Dr Rowley made the appeal on Saturday during a media conference held in Port-of-Spain.
The Ministry of Education on Friday issued a press release informing parents, guardians and caretakers of the procedure in which the Pfizer vaccine will be rolled out for children.
Dr Rowley said the only World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine for children will be administered as promised.
“They will be so used if they are accepted by parents… Let us as people do everything that we have to do to protect our children,” he said.
Dr Rowley said the main focus was now on having in-person classes for secondary school children especially those in examination forms.
“When they (children) go back out to school, they will have that element of confidence of protection,” he said.
He also said he was not entertaining any conversations at the moment on primary school children.
The Ministry of Health will be responsible for stating where those children will be vaccinated and the Ministry of Education will be responsible for the receiving and distribution of the vaccines Dr Rowley said.
He is hoping that by the time school re-opens, children who qualify will have at least one dose of the vaccine.
If some-one is not in school and still was in the 12-18 age bracket, that person should also be vaccinated the Prime Minister urged.
Dr Rowley said he would expect a few parents would not want their children to be vaccinated but he begged parents to avoid regretting not having their child vaccinated.
He also said, “ Those young people, I take personal responsibility for them.”
The PM said yet again that there was no guarantee of protection against the Covid- virus and its variants but the effects would not be as adverse as for unvaccinated individuals.
PM disappointed
Dr Rowley said he was very disappointed that citizens in key sectors did not step up to take the vaccine as expected with only 50% of nurses, 20%-prisoners, 35% of prison officers, defence force-20% being vaccinated.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service had 43% vaccinated and that percentage continued to increase he said.
These were persons on the forefront and he expected more to step forward to be vaccinated especially as vaccines were now readily available.
The Prime Minister thanked all the countries who supported in terms of sending vaccines especially when it was difficult for Trinidad and Tobago to obtain them.
He gave additional background information of the country’s receival of vaccines adding that payment was given to three countries for vaccines and additional payment may not have to be made towards the African Council for vaccines given the allocation of vaccines recently to Trinidad and Tobago.
The concern right now for people which should not be was getting a particular brand of vaccine, Dr Rowley said.
He said presently there were 883,000 vaccines available to the population throughout the country.
Dr Rowley said, “It is reasonable to say anyone who wants to be vaccinated in Trinidad and Tobago can be vaccinated.”
He added, “The only missing component is that unwillingness of the population to accept the vaccine.”
And the Prime Minister said anyone who did not want to take the vaccine, unless if there was good cause not to, was playing Russian Roulette with their lives and others.
He also said although the retail sector re-opens on Monday, organisations should retain strict health protocols.
