Mobile health teams to aid COVID-19 adolescent vaccination drive

The Ministry of Health will begin using mobile teams to continue the countrywide COVID-19 vaccination of children 12 to 17 years.

Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said, on Monday that the teams will complement the already over 100 fixed Covid vaccination sites across the country.

He said his ministry has collaborated with the Education Ministry to work out a schedule to have the vaccines administered at various schools.

“…And hopefully we’ll get the entire school population coming out so that we can vaccinate that school and move on”, he said during the daily COVID-19 Update.

Dr. Anthony reminded that the vaccine is available to children 12 to 17, noting that it is the first of two shots they must take to be fully immunised. 

“The Pfizer vaccines that we are using for school children would require the children to come back after twenty-one days, so that they can get a second shot and once they get that second shot, they’ll be fully immunised.”

The Minister said the Government hopes to get the cooperation of all parents for all eligible children to take the vaccine.

He said if the trend of high turnout continues, soon all adolescents would be vaccinated. He noted that it would also allow for schools to reopen to face-to-face learning in a safe environment.

Based on calculations so far, some 2000 adolescents received their vaccine on Sunday. However, the number is not yet finalised as the ministry is still tallying.

While the number of vaccinations on Sunday were predominantly children, some parents took the opportunity of getting their vaccines as well.