Long Lines For COVID-19 Vaccinations

Reports of long lines at Health Centres across the country today as people attempt to join the growing list of persons vaccinated against COVID-19. The Ministry of Health announced earlier this week that the roll out of the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine will begin on Wednesday for people over 60 and for those with Non-Communicable Diseases. According to reports, lines at the St. Joseph Enhanced Health Centre, Gasparillo, Ste. Madeline, La Romaine, Carenage, Chaguanas, Arima, and Point Fortin started forming long before 6am. Police officers have been deployed at each of the health facilities to assist with maintaining order. We were told the Morvant Health Centre could only accommodate 80 persons per day and at the St. Joseph Health Centre, 250 names were submitted before lunch. The other persons were told they would be accommodated this afternoon. According to the Ministry of Health's latest update, 129,437 people have already received the first dose of one of the available COVID-19 vaccines.