Even though health officials are currently seeing a surge in covid19 cases and deaths, there remains a lull in the number of people getting fully vaccinated.
On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health reported 512 new cases in its daily update, which represented the highest jump in daily confirmed cases since June 4.
From November 1-10, Trinidad and Tobago recorded 3,146 new cases, which accounted for a 5.3 per cent increase in total cases and 110 new deaths.
At the Ministry of Health’s virtual press conference on Monday, epidemiologist Dr Avery Hinds said the country is currently seeing a steady surge of new cases and deaths which started in October.
In contrast to the ongoing surge, there was only a 3.2 per increase in the total number of fully vaccinated people when Newsday reviewed all the ministry’s covid19 updates from November 1-10.
The data shows people who are not fully vaccinated accounted for 92.3 per cent (5,033 of 5,453) of patients entering the parallel healthcare system between July 22 and October 27.
The low demand for covid19 jabs was reflected when Newsday visited the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) mass vaccination site in San Fernando on Thursday.
Shortly after 11.30am, there were no more than ten people registering for their first jabs, with even fewer there for their second or third jabs.
[caption id="attachment_923964" align="alignnone" width="988"] Lenny Bahadoor was one of the few persons that showed up at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando on Thursday, to get their 3rd dose of the covid19 vaccine. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
Gulf View resident Lenny Bahadoor, who is in his late 60s, was one of the people waiting for their third shot, though he was doing so somewhat unwillingly. Bahadoor told Newsday that if his wife hadn't insisted, and he didn't feel he had no choice, he might not have taken the third jab.
He explained, “You see, next thing I take this (expletive) thing and end up on the ground. You don’t know what could happen…it’s a risk and we don’t know.
"But I’m still taking it.
“Third dose start from yesterday (Wednesday) I don’t think they’ve gotten much feedback, so I wanted to hold on for a while and see what happen to who take third dose, to know it working.”
When Newsday spoke to La Romaine resident Sookdeo Arjoonsingh, he was in a more upbeat mood.
Arjoonsingh told Newsday, “At this point in time, I enjoy taking the third shot.
“I’m a family man who spend a lot of time with my family, so I am also doing it for them.
“I say thanks and praise to the Government for providing these vaccines.”
Arjoonsingh said he has also made it his duty to encourage his friends and family to get vaccinated.
[caption id="attachment_923965" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Sookdeo Arjoonsingh showed up at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, San Fernando on Thursday, to get his 3rd dose of the covid19 vaccine. - Ph
