By Sue-Ann Wayow
EDUCATION Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly has no objection to having another vaccination site for children in Debe.
In a letter to Member of Parliament for Oropouche East Dr Roodal Moonilal who suggested the use of the Paragon Indoor Sporting Facility in Debe, Dr Gadsby- Dolly said the Ministry of Health would be better suited to make such arrangements.
She forwarded a copy of Dr Moonilal’s correspondence to the Ministry of Health.
Dr Gadsby-Dolly wrote in a letter on Tuesday, “I note your offer of a site and volunteers for an additional vaccination location to be added to this list. The Ministry of Education has no objection to this but must defer to the technical advice of the Ministry of Health regarding its suitability and their ability to manage same.”
She also told AZPNews.com, “ The sites for vaccination are approved by the Ministry of Health, not the Ministry of Education. This would be based on their technical estimation of the location’s suitability and the ability of the MOH to provide clinical and non-clinical staff to manage same. The MOH may be able to provide further clarity on his suggestion of a site and volunteers.”
Dr Moonilal told AZPNews.com that he may be one step closer to having the site up and running having spoken to Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on the matter on Tuesday evening. He said the South West Regional Health Authority will be calling him to possibly make follow up arrangements.
He said, “I will try my best to assist the SWRHA to expand its sites.”
Leading by example
The Education Minister also told AZPNews.com, she will be at a vaccination site on Wednesday where she will accompany her two teenaged children to get their vaccines and her 20-year-old was already vaccinated.
A site has not yet been determined she said.
In terms of preparation for Wednesday’s roll-out of the Pfizer vaccine, Dr Gadsby-Dolly said, “There are many moving parts with this type of exercise. Final preparations are being made at this time.”
In Trinidad, 14 sites have been identified for the administering of the vaccine to the 12-18 age group. Tobago will start its roll-out at two secondary schools also on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Health has been urging parents to allow their children to become vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus especially with the arrival of the Delta variant.
The Ministry of Education has also requested the help of volunteers at those sites. Anyone over the age of 18 wanting to assist can WhatsApp 682-7514.
The sites for Trinidad are:
- L’anse Noire Community Centre
- Duranta Community Centre, Sangre Grande
- Sumairsingh Complex, Rio Claro
- Mayaro Civic Centre
- MIC Campus, San Fernando
- NESC Campus, La Brea
- Heliport, Chaguaramas
- COSTAATT Campus, Dere St. POS
- National Academy for the Performing Arts ( NAPA)
- Wallerfield International Raceway
- Larry Gomes Stadium, Arima
- COSTAATT Campus, El Dorado
- Divali Nagar, Chaguanas (vaccination begins Sunday)
- Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva
See related stories below:
Moonilal: Why no Pfizer Vaccines Sites for Children in Debe, Penal, Barrackpore?
