By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE 33,800 AstraZeneca vaccines received on Wednesday from the COVAX will be administered at the mass vaccination sites.
This was announced by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Wednesday during the Ministry of Health’s virtual media conference.
Deyalsingh said approximately 7,000 to 8,000 will be kept for second doses but the lion’s share will go into the distribution system at the nine mass vaccination sites in Trinidad. He said Tobago will take care of its own distribution.
He also gave an update regarding the vaccines which were administered from Monday.
He said in early July, the Ministry of Health was reporting 15,000 doses per day which dropped to an average of 4,000 daily in early August.
With the introduction of the AstraZeneca at the mass vaccination sites, the average daily percentage increased by approximately 50%, he said.
On Monday, Deyalsingh said 7,050 first doses were administered across centres, – 2,915 Sinopharm and 4,135 AstraZeneca.
On Tuesday, 7,384 first doses were administered – 2,316 Sinopharm and 5,068 AstraZeneca.
Deyalsingh thanked the Canadian Government for their gift of the 82,000 plus AstraZeneca vaccines.
He said data showed there were 432,806 first doses already administered which represented 31% of the population.
The minister also encouraged the public to make appointments for the AstraZeneca vaccine and to show up at least 15 minutes to 30 minutes before appointment time in order to avoid congregation at the site.
He urged, “Don’t wait for a crisis to become vaccinated.”
Deyalsingh also said on Monday, 12, 083 second doses of Sinopharm were administered and 919 AstraZeneca given.
On Tuesday, 11, 946 Sinopharm were administered and 649 second AstraZeneca shots recorded.
So far, there were now 255,138 persons who would be fully vaccinated in a two-week period which was roughly 18% of the population.
“They would have no chance of getting serious Covid disease,” Deyalsingh said.
He also thanked all the Members of Parliament, local government councillors and religious leaders for working in their districts to gently encourage persons to take the vaccine that remains voluntary.
And referring to the thrust towards herd immunity, Deyalsingh said, the concept remains that 60% to 70% of a country’s population should be vaccinated.
He said, “If we can get 14 vaccination days of a minimum of 10,000 first shots that will give us 140,000 more persons to add to the 432,000. That will take me up to 572,000 just a little bit shy of what I was hoping for about 600,000.
“That takes you to about 40% of the population and then we have to try to get up now to add another 20% to take you up to 60% of your population which is considered to be in the realm of herd immunity.”
The minister also said that while it was being reported that Pfizer vaccines were being sent to Trinidad and Tobago from the US, Government has not received any official notification.
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