By Prior Beharry
TRINIDAD and Tobago will receive 100,800 doses of the Oxford AstraSeneca Covid-19 vaccine in the first tranche from the COVAX facility.
Speaking at the virtual presser on Saturday, Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said it would cost US$504,000 but T&T will pay US$343,162 after a US $160,838 contribution from Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for the purchase of vaccines.
He said cost included the price per vaccine which was about US$4 and this first set was expected at the end of March.
Deyalsingh said phase one of the vaccine rollout will see the vaccination of roughly 4,000 frontline healthcare workers, other healthcare workers and the elderly/those with non-communicable diseases.
He said phase two of the rollout will prioritise persons with NCDs who were not vaccinated in phase one and essential workers including persons in the protective services, teachers, sanitation workers, parliamentarians and immigration officers.
Deyalsingh said 991 frontline healthcare workers have been vaccinated from the vaccines gifted to T&T from Barbados.
He said the distribution were as follows:
- North Central Regional Health Authority (Arima General Hospital, Caura Hospital, Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility– 769;
- South West Regional Health Authority (Augustus Long)– 131; and
- Tobago – 91
He said 1,000 of the vaccines will be kept to give the second dose.
