Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the government was preparing to reopen the retail sector, with the vaccination program now extended to shop owners and their employees.
Business owners were asked to submit lists of all employees to their respective chambers of commerce.
The retail sector will then be routed to the 11 mass vaccination sites across the country.
Deyalsingh was speaking to reporters yesterday after a tour of the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) mass vaccination site for members of the food and beverage industry in San Fernando.
He said: “As you know the retail sector is currently closed. We would like to open the retail sector to mass vaccination sites through individual chambers of commerce like San Fernando, Penal/Debe, Tunapuna, Sangre Grande, Arima. They were asked to list not only the owners of retail businesses, be it jewelry stores, shoe stores, any type of retail business, and to submit names to the Chamber of Commerce and you will be redirected to the mass vaccination site. So we want to open it now to retail in addition to all the other sectors that we have already targeted.
Deyalsingh did not say when the retail sector is expected to open.
He said the mass vaccination sites were reserved for employees of sectors identified by the ministry and not for all members of the public.
He said members of the public are urged to visit their local health centers to get vaccinated.
The Covid vaccine is available to everyone in Trinidad and Tobago – migrants, nationals, residents and citizens, he said.
“We are trying to make vaccines readily available in terms of reach, convenience and accessibility through 109 health centers and 11 mass vaccination sites and two drive-thrus. Members of the public who do not have access to mass vaccination sites are asked to come to your health centre. Members of the public should not visit mass vaccination sites. These sites are used to vaccinate major groups, such as food and drink constructions, etc. “, did he declare.
There will be no walk-in vaccination service, Deyalsingh said.
Anyone interested in getting vaccinated can register through the Ministry of Health website or at the health center.
