By Prior Beharry
ELIGIBLE persons will get the Covid-19 vaccine in 21 centres across Trinidad and Tobago from Tuesday (April 6).
In the first phase of the rollout the two-dose Oxford AstreaZencea vaccine will be given to healthcare workers, people 60 years and over with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such a hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes (high blood pressure).
Speaking at a virtual presser of the Ministry of Health on Thursday, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Roshan Parasram revealed how the rollout will take place.
Who will get the Covid-19 vaccine in the first phase:
- People who are part of the NCD clinics in the 21 vaccine facilities (see below) will not have to pre-register to make an appointment to get the vaccine;
- Those 60 years and over will get the vaccine when they go to their NCD clinic appointment; and
- People who are 60 and over with NCDs can call one of the 21 designated clinic to make an appointment on non-NCD clinic days;
Dr Roshan Parasram said the 21 health centres listed below have gone through a rigorous process of inspection to ensure that they could meet the demands for the Covid-19 Vaccine:
Eastern Regional Health Authority
- Mayaro District Health Facility;
- Rio Claro Health Centre;
- Sangre Grande Enhanced Health Centre; and
- Toco Health Centre.
North Central Regional Health Authority
- Arima District Health Facility;
- Chaguanas District Health Facility;
- La Horquetta Health Centre; and
- St Joseph Enhanced Health Centre.
North West Regional Health Authority
- Barataria Health Centre; and
- Diego Martin Health Centre.
South Regional Health Facility
- Couva District Health Facility;
- Freeport Health Centre;
- La Romaine Health Centre;
- Marabella Health Centre;
- Point Fortin Health Centre;
- Princes Town District Health Facility;
- Siparia District Health Facility; and
- Ste Madeleine Health Facility.
Tobago Regional Health Authority
Canaan/Bon Accord Health Centre;
Roxborough Health Centre; and
Scarborough Health Centre.
The CMO said the contact information for these clinics were available on the Ministry of Health website and social media pages.
And Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said soon eligible people will be allowed to sign up online.
T&T received 33,600 vaccines from the COVAX facility but with an expiry date of May 31, 202, which if before the eight to 12 weeks in which the World Health Organization has recommended for the second dose.
It is expected that the second tranche of the vaccine will arrive in May.
On Friday, the Government announced rollback on contact sports as the months of March and the beginning or April have seen an increase in Covid-19 cases.
Dr Parasram said on Thursday that there was a sporadic spread of the virus within the St Patrick county and and on the borders of Victoria country. He noted that there were now cluster of cases in the St George East.
T&T received 2,000 Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines as a gift from Barbados and they were used to vaccinate health care workers starting on February 17.
These were the first vaccines to be administered in the country.
See related stories below:
