T&T expects 33,600 vaccines from COVAX next week: PM Keith Rowley

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: Dr Keith Rowley- Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, stated that the government would lift the weekend 7 PM to 5 AM curfew from the upcoming weeks, and the new timings will be adjusted from 9:00pm to 05:00am. The new guidelines were discussed in the recent press conference on Saturday.The prime minister also said that the construction sector and its associated businesses will be brought to the fore again and that the plan to reopen the borders by the second week of July is still underway with conditions related to vaccination.Minister Stuart Young stated that emergency public health regulations are likely to be extended to July 4. He also indicated that all the vaccines available for the first dose would be used up in the next two weeks. Trinidadian Prime Minister stated that the shipment of 33,600 doses from the COVAX institution is expected in July, with another Sinopharm shipment from China expected around the same time. Dr Rowley also maintained that the dispatch of Johnson & Johnson vaccines from the African Medical Supply is expected in August.The Prime Minister has shown his hope that children will be able to return to school for in-person learning in September.Principal Medical Officer of Institutions, Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards, indicated that the health care system is less overwhelmed this week than last week; the total occupancy has slowed down and now stands at 60%.Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh stated that a total of 176,849 people received their first dose and that 39,142 people received both doses. Minister Deyalsingh also indicated that the Ministry's goal is to fully vaccinate 188,900 individuals by July 31 2021.