Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh has atributed the progress the country has made towards lifting covid19 restrictions to those who chanced the covid19 vaccine.

The first covid19 vaccine was administered to Infectious Disease Control nurse Keisha Prevatt-Gomez on February 19, 2021.

Since then 709,616 people have been vaccinated – just over 50 per cent of the population.

As of Tuesday afternoon, fatalities had dropped to three and new daily cases fluctuated between 100 and 400 over the past three months of the ministry’s daily records.

With the decline in hospitalisation and the infection rate, the Prime Minister recently reverted restrictions on all sectors.

The mask mandate remains in effect when in public spaces.

Speaking at Wednesday’s virtual media press conference, Deyalsingh said the country couldn’t have returned to this level of normality if citizens did not trust the science.

He said he had received positive reviews from the public during a short visit to downtown Port of Spain on Monday. Businesses are reporting good sales, he said, and the public is happy to be out.

“This weekend we will see activities in other sectors kick off, and we are happy for that. One of the main reasons we could have done this is that 709,616 people decided to be vaccinated.

“Those 709,616 people are the reason why we can reopen in the way we have reopened. Without their support in being vaccinated, without their belief in the science, we could not be in this position.”

But he said the need for more people to be vaccinated is still urgent to completely contain and stabilise the virus.

“Covid19 isn’t done with us, so we must not feel we are done with covid19. It is still here.

"There are parts of the world that are grappling with record number of outbreaks.

"Fortunately, we are in a very good position now to basically fully open.”

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