KEVON FELMINE
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
Just as the Ministry of Health had to destroy hundreds of vials of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines after they expired on June 30, it is likely it would do the same for the paediatric version come October this year.
Responding to a question from Guardian Media at today's Ministry of Health COVID-19 media conference, Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for children aged 5-11 years in T&T would expire in October. Earlier this year, Spain donated 40,000 doses of the vaccine to T&T.
Deyalsingh reported that only 2,687 children took those vaccines up to yesterday. He said that given the current uptake, the Ministry would have excess stock in October.
While the Sinopharm and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for adults expire in March 2023, Deyalsingh also believes there will be excess.
“Given the current rate of uptake, yes. There will be some at the current rate of uptake that will not be used,” Deyalsingh said.
He did not report any significant change in COVID-19 vaccinations as the country remained at 51.1 per cent, the same as last week. There are 715,336 fully vaccinated people. Only 147 people took shots yesterday, which included boosters. So far, 167,163 people got booster shots.
“Our appreciation goes out to them, but as we asked last week, we urge people who are eligible for boosting, especially those over 18, to please get boosted.”
