(Trinidad Express) The Eastern Regional Health Authority has seen a doubling in the number of people for the Covid-19 vaccine.
Speaking during Mon-day’s Ministry of Health press briefing Chief Exe-cutive Officer of the ERHA Ronald Tsoi-a-Fatt said an average of 433 people were being vaccinated per day at their centres. He said prior the figure was “less than half of that.”
He added, “We are seeing an increase in the uptake. The population is more interested now in taking the vaccines and we are dealing with that uptake.” He described it as an encouraging sign.
He said a total of 20,319 vaccine doses had been administered, thus far, throughout the eastern region and its centres.
Tsoi-a-Fatt explained that the ERHA covers one third of Trinidad and included areas of from Matelot to Guayaguayare including Sangre Grande, Valencia, Cumuto, Biche, Brothers Road, Rio Claro and Manzanilla.
“Our vaccination programme takes into consideration the widespread area and the challenges associated with a scattered and but fairly defined population settlement throughout the region,” he said.
Tsoi-a-Fatt said the AstraZeneca and Sino-pharm first doses had been administered at the Sangre Grande Enhanced Health Centre, Toco Health Centre and the Mayaro and Rio Claro Health Facility
The ERHA had also managed the mass vaccination site at the Racquet Centre in Tacarigua.
The CEO updated on the second doses of AstraZeneca which began today. He advised that those who received vaccines at the Tacarigua Racquet Centre and the San Grande Enhanced Centre will receive their shots at the Tacarigua Racquet Centre.
The Mayaro Sporting Complex will be the site for the second doses for those who got their first dose at the Mayaro District Health Facility and at the Rio Claro Health Facility. The Cumana Outreach Centre will be for clients who had their first shots at the Toco Health Centre.
He said contact will be made via telephone and that clients should walk with their vaccination card and a valid identification card. He said that if for some reason, the phone call is missed, the client can visit his or her designated centre between week eight and nine of when they received their first dose. He asked that appointments be kept to minimize the waiting period and for social distancing to be maintained at the centres. He also asked that people show up at their designated centres.
On Wednesday, people over 60 years and those under 60 years with comorbidities, are expected to be able to have their shots. Tsoi-a-Fatt said that customer service representatives, security officers and the police will assist with crowd control but said he does not expect such will occur. He added, “We’ve also put in different lines, we’ve beefed up the number of stations available so that we will be able to try to cope with the increase.”
