(Trinidad Guardian) Vaccination of children between the ages of 12 to 18 years begins at 8 am today and eligible members of the public who fall into this category do not need an appointment.
This is part of the Pfizer vaccine rollout geared towards facilitating the partial reopening of schools in the new academic year next month.
Students will have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to any of the 14 designated locations across Trinidad and the walk-in system will run from 8 am to 3 pm daily.
Education stakeholders and parents have voiced concerns relating to the process, however, as they anticipate long lines of persons wanting to be vaccinated.
Some have questioned why the authorities did not employ the same method of vaccinating students as is routinely used in primary schools, to avoid the confusion and chaos that could result.
Particular concerns have been raised regarding the locations selected in the southwestern part of the country, as many parents believe it will not be enough to adequately accommodate the numbers that will be out.
Asked yesterday about the expected turn-out, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said, “We cannot anticipate numbers.”
Meanwhile, just one day after Gadsby-Dolly called for more volunteers and staffing for more vaccination sites, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has offered resources and a venue in his constituency.
Moonilal had raised concerns over the Government’s failure to set up a vaccination centre in his heavily populated constituency, particularly in the Penal, Debe and Barrackpore regions.
