Trinidad and Tobago: Vaccine roll-out to start from April 6, 2021

Terrance Deyansingh- Minister of Health Trinidad and Tobago, stated that the country is anticipating to receive 33,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX facility on Tuesday.

He stated that over the Easter weekend, these doses would be distributed among 21 sites across the country, while 3000 doses have been designated for Tobago.

As per the health minister, the national roll-out of vaccine will start from April 6 onwards, and health workers, as well as people over the age of 60-year-old, will receive the doses initially. Minister Deyalsingh also added during the press conference on Saturday that people will also receive vaccine cards, and the receipt of the dose would be recorded on their second dose. Besides this, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley also stated that the country is not in a post-pandemic period, and people must obey all the health-guidelines of the government in order to stop the virus from spreading.

Furthermore, he also stated that if all goes right, the government will reopen the senior primary school for offline classes after Easter.

Besides this, PM Rowley also issued an order to the Trinidad and Tobago police services to enforce COVID-19 regulations more stringently for those who continue to ignore restrictions.

He also added that no country in the CARICOM has been able to purchase the coronavirus vaccine as it is not available for any commercial trades. He made sure that people offering vaccines to the government must reveal their sources; otherwise, no such party will be entertained.

As per Worldometer, Trinidad and Tobago recorded 7,977 cases of coronavirus while 7,595 people successfully recovered. The country also recorded 142 virus-related deaths.

Trinidad and Tobago will be the second country in the region to receive vaccines from the COVAX facility. Earlier, Jamaica received only 14,400 doses of vaccine to immunise the front-line workers.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continue to appeal to countries to maintain vaccine equity and help impoverished countries by donating vaccine.