kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
As the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta Variant of Concern continues to spread, one way to protect yourself and your family against the virus is to make your home a safe zone.
Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh advised that as an added defence against the coronavirus, people could choose to only invite vaccinated people into their homes.
He said he does not welcome any unvaccinated person in his home.
Speaking as a guest on Aakash Vani 106.5 FM Morning Panchayat yesterday, Deyalsingh said he understood that people are tired of the restrictions brought on by the pandemic. As a consequence, some were taking chances with having lunch and dinner gatherings at their homes. With the virus being endemic, he said people have to learn to live with it.
“What you and I can do is only invite vaccinated people into your home; kind of create your own safe zone.
“I am not saying to ask people for a card for your cousin to come home by you. But you have a fairly good idea of who is vaccinated or not. So the individual has to create their own little safe zone bubble now,” Deyalsingh said.
On the issue of safe zones and immunisation cards, Deyalsingh said the Ministry of Health was transferring the information from its physical records into a database.
In the next month or two, the ministry hopes to implement a Quick Response Code system which vaccinated people can have on their phones to scan at various places.
Some people complain about the size of immunisation cards and the feasibility of carrying such an important document around.
Deyalsingh said people could use a copy in the interim. He referenced the Public Health Regulations which states people have to show “proof of vaccination.”
He said, “It does not say that you have to walk with your physical card. So what I have done in my case: I have made a photocopy of my card on regular paper, which I keep in my wallet. That is my proof of vaccination. So you do not necessarily have to walk around with the physical hard card. That is what you can do for now until we get the E-solution with your QR code on your phone.”
The minister said he has not attempted to get into any safe zone with a copy of his immunisation card. He said he did not have the time as he had Parliament sittings this week.