By Sue-Ann Wayow
THERE is going to be special locations set up especially for persons in the public sector who wish to become vaccinated against Covid-19 says Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh.
Deyalsingh said from next year, one of the first locations would be at the mass vaccination site of the Southern Academy for Performing Arts (SAPA).
The minister on Christmas Eve, visited staff at the Augustus Long Hospital at Pointe-a-Pierre to thank healthcare workers at the facility for their tireless efforts dealing with the pandemic throughout the year.
Deyalsingh, this week has been visiting facilities designated for Covid-19 patients, and intends to visit on Christmas Day, the Couva Hospital.
Speaking to the media, Deyalsingh said on Monday and Tuesday, following Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s announcement that a policy would be in place for the public service sector, there was an increase daily of 500 in vaccination numbers.
That number had dwindled possibly because persons were caught up with the Christmas season, he said.
He said, “We saw on Monday and Tuesday, an uptick of about 500 doses per day and we haven’t seen those numbers since November 22 where we went up Monday and Tuesday to 1,200 first shots including Johnson & Johnson. Yesterday’s numbers as you come into Christmas were a bit low. So in those five to six hundred, my information is some of that was due to health care workers coming out which I am grateful for but I don’t have a disaggregated number as yet.”
Deyalsingh said the ministry was working with Minister of Public Administration Allyson West to have special considerations, for public sector workers from early in the new year.
Other than SAPA, a site at the government campus in Port-of-Spain would also be activated.
West will also assist with collecting names of persons from the various ministries wanting to get a vaccine and they will be assisted with the process, he said.
