–as efforts to safeguard citizens against COVID-19 intensify

IN an effort to facilitate convenient access to the COVID-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Health will be hosting its first ‘Drive Thru’ vaccination event on Saturday, May 22, 2021, at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank of Demerara. The activity, which will take place from 09:00hrs to 21:00hrs, will afford persons the opportunity to receive either their first or second dose of either of the three COVID-19 vaccines available locally. An activity such as this is unprecedented, locally, but it will allow persons to be vaccinated without leaving the comfort of their vehicles. This is all in a bid to make the vaccines more accessible. “One of the things that we’re trying to do is to make vaccination more accessible to people and we had a discussion in the ministry and we thought that is one way we can make it more accessible, more convenient, so people could come and get their vaccines,” Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said on Thursday during his daily COVID-19 update.

The Health Minister explained that the ministry has contemplated a system whereby persons will be allowed to drive into the stadium and make their way to the first station, where arrangements will be in place for the vehicle to be approached by authorities who will register the occupants of the car who require vaccinations.
The paperwork which is required before the vaccine is administered will then be filled out at the same station, after which the vehicle will make its way to the second station, where the paperwork will be verified and the vaccine will be administered.
The vehicle will then proceed to the third station, where the persons who took the ‘jab’ will undergo the necessary 15-minute observation. After the observation period, they can then ‘drive off.’
“Because of how it’s arranged we think that we will get a lot more people coming out and we think it’s quite more convenient, so if four persons are in a vehicle, we can easily do four persons very quickly,” Dr. Anthony said.

The Health Minister said that the ministry will be aided by some 40 volunteers, who will be assisting with paperwork and other matters, and the vaccination site will also be adequately staffed with vaccinators, who will make the process swift.
The Ministry of Health will be collaborating with a number of agencies, including the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport; the Ministry of Home Affairs; The Ministry of Public Works, and community and faith-based organisations, to facilitate the innovative vaccination drive.
“We hope that people take advantage of this opportunity and that we will be able to immunize quite a number of persons with their first dose, if they are persons coming for their second dose, we will be able to do that as well,” Dr. Anthony related.
The Health Minister said that while this is the first vaccination ‘drive thru,’ the possibility exists for the initiative to be replicated across the country. He explained that any “hiccups” identified will be fixed, and if successful, similar vaccination drives will be done.