By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE Johnson & Johnson vaccines Trinidad and Tobago received from the African Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) are not inferior.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said, “The vaccines that we got from South Africa are the same Johnson & Johnson vaccines being made by Johnson & Johnson in South Africa.”
He made the statement on Monday in an attempt to counteract statements made that the vaccine was an inferior product because of where it came from.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony of the San Juan Government Primary School, Dr Rowley said the 108,000 vaccines received from the AMSP were “identifiable.”
“We paid good money for it,” he added.
He said initially the AMSP was supposed to utilise the AstraZeneca vaccine however, science showed that the AstraZeneca was not as effective against the South African variant of the Covid-19 virus as the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
It was announced by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on Monday that persons in remote areas will receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Dr Rowley said the allocation was not to stereotype anybody.
“It makes sense to use a one dose vaccine in those areas,” he said.
“There is nothing that we do in this country as a government that you don’t find people trying to undermine it,” the prime minister said.
He said the country was in a good position in the pandemic with the medical team and the availability of different types of vaccines and the economy was 80% re-opened.
He said citizens can only make excuses now because the Covid-19 situation was not as grave as other countries including Caribbean neighbour Guadeloupe.
The vaccine debate was described as “a luxurious conversation,” which could not be afforded in January when vaccines had not yet arrived in T&T.
Dr Rowley also said he wondered if there will be a continued debate over the Pfizer vaccine that is being administered to children ages 12 to 18 given that it has received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for persons 16 years and older and will be now marketed as Comirnaty.
The vaccine which is the only World Health Organisation (WHO) approved for those 12 years and above will also remain in the Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for the 12 to16 age group.
Dr Rowley urged, “Parents get your children vaccinated.”
