Trinidad and Tobago has already made an initial payment of $1.4 million for purchase of Covid-19 vaccines.

This was reiterated by Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, who, while speaking in the House of Representatives this afternoon, said government pre-ordered vaccines to cover one-third of the population, or 461,000 persons, at a cost of $9.7 million.

Dr. Rowley was responding to a question posed by Opposition MP for Oropouche East, Dr. Roodal Moonilal.

“Once a vaccine is approved, we will receive, in the first instance, enough vaccines for 20% of the population- that it 279,000 persons,” Dr. Rowley said. 

The PM explained that in keeping with global practice, high risk groups including frontline workers, elderly persons over 60 and persons suffering with non-communicable diseases will be first in line to be administered the vaccine. 

Asked by Dr. Moonilal whether government had a set date that the vaccine would be ready for distribution, the Prime Minister reiterated that there was no approved vaccine on the table yet, accusing the Opposition MP of attempting to mislead the public. 

“That is just pure mischief once again. Once we are advised by the WHO that the vaccines are cleared and ready to go and our portion is available, then we will know what we are getting and when we are getting it,” the PM stated. 

The vaccines will become available once approved by the World Health Organization through the COVAX facility, of which this country is a member.