By Sue-Ann Wayow
TRINIDAD and Tobago is now on the list to receive more than 82,000 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from Canada.
According to 680 News, Canada’s International Development Minister Karina Gould said in a release on Wednesday that Trinidad and Tobago was selected to receive the excess doses that had already arrived in Canada based on need and the country’s capacity to deploy them immediately.
She said the doses will be delivered in the coming days and the Government of T&T will manage the administration of the vaccines in accordance with manufacturing guidelines and public health best practices.
Last month, the Canadian government said it would donate nearly 18 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to poorer countries.
On June 25, Pundit Vijay Persad Seetahal, a Trinidadian living in Canada, had written to Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Public Service and Procurement Anita Anand requesting that some of the vaccines be allocated to Trinidad and Tobago.
The member of the Shri Krishna Dharma Sabha (SKDS) Hindu Temple in Brampton, Ontario said he had received a letter that his request was forwarded to Gould for consideration.
On Thursday, he told AZPNews.com that he and the SKDS welcomed the news.
He said, “The SKDS will be celebrating our second anniversary in Trinidad and Tobago with great news today as the government of Canada pledge to donate over 82,000 doses for the people of the republic of Trinidad and Tobago at this dark period of the pandemic and flooding.
“On behalf of the SKDS families both in Canada and Trinidad we will like thank the Honourable Prime Minister Mr Justin Trudeau and his caring government of Canada for their love for humanity and may god bless the liberal party for accepting our letter in our cry for compassion thank you.”
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