THE first phase of the Government's national covid19 vaccine booster shot programme was off to a slow start on Monday at vaccination sites in east Trinidad.

This may have been the case because of the yellow-level adverse weather alert in effect until 6 pm.

Newsday observed the majority of the people who braved the weather to get their shots were seniors.

At the Larry Gomes Stadium site in Arima there were a little over 20 people waiting on the ground floor near the monitoring area. Within the first hour, close to 100 people passed through this site, an official said.

Some were there for the booster shot but others had come for a second dose of the vaccine.

After getting their booster shot, a husband and wife who preferred to be called the Henrys told Newsday they had encouraged others to get theirs.

"It's a better chance to take than to end up in ICU," said the husband. "We are seniors and we don't want to find out."

His wife said this third shot gives her an additional sense of security as the country experiences another wave of the virus.

"Everybody has their own thought and it's up to them. Some people, you can't persuade them...I, my husband and my family both here and abroad are happy about our decision."

An Arouca resident said she ignored misinformation, weighing the risk and benefits before taking the second dose.

"I took the first one in May; there was no rush for the covid19 vaccine as yet. Then I took the second one in June month and now this. I hope I don't have to take any more."

Operations were slower at the Wallerfield International Raceway drive-through site. Two vehicles were waiting in the monitoring area as heavy rain fell.

Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) CEO Ronald Tsoi-a-Fatt described the first day at sites in his district as having a slow but steady flow.

He told Newsday, "The weather had been very inclement, so it would be better to look at it and judge the turnout after the weather has cleared up."

He is expecting a larger turnout on Tuesday.

"There should be more people tomorrow and from there, things would soak in as news goes around.

"There were no challenges whatsoever on the first day. It was slow but smooth.”

The country recently entered its seventh month since the launch of the vaccination programme. Up to Monday morning, 608,567 people had taken the covid19 vaccine and 40,297 got a third dose.

Initially, people who are 60 and over and those below 60 who are moderately or severely immunocompromised were eligible for a third dose of the Sinopharm vaccine.

Last Saturday Government expanded the categories of individuals eligible. Fully vaccinated people were asked to bring their vaccination cards and a form of identification to get their booster shots, depending on the date of their second dose of a two-dose vaccine, or full dose for those with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh made the announcement a