Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says vaccinations across the country have been very slow.
Responding to questions from Guardian Media, Deyalsingh said there have been on average between 400 to 500 vaccinations per day over the past week.
The government had anticipated an increase in vaccinations as it moved to implement legislation to make the Public Service a quasi-public safety zone from February 17.
When Guardian Media visited the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) mass vaccination site, there were only a few people waiting their turn to get third booster vaccinations. The line for the first time vaccines was vacant.
This was also the case at the Debe Health centre.
Among those taking advantage of the free vaccines were Venezuelan migrants..
Members of the public at the registration desk to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at SAPA, San Fernando, yesterday.
KRISTIAN DE SILVA
A total of 688,611 citizens are fully vaccinated which represents approximately 49.2 per cent of the population. Over 711, 389 are either partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all.
As of Friday, 108 760 boosters have been given.
Initially, the Prime Minister had mandated the rollout of the public service safe zone by January 17.
There was pushback from trade unionists who said they will resist any move by the government to enforce mandatory vaccines.
However, during a press conference two weeks ago, Dr Rowley announced that he had extended the deadline to February 17th.
He also said he was very pleased with some of the reports he got from the public sector about improved vaccination status.
The country has an average of 698 new infections on average each day.
There have been 108,892 infections and 3,372 COVID deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began. There are 19,034 positive active cases of which 504 people are hospitalised.
— RADHICA DE SILVA
