As Government nears the rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine in the coming days, the Royal Barbados Police Force has started to prepare its officers to receive the jab, Barbados TODAY has learned.
Last Saturday, police officers in the northern division were officially told they would begin getting the vaccine at the Branford Taitt Polyclinic in Black Rock, St Michael, during a five-hour period at a date to be announced shortly.
Some 100,000 thousand doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine from India arrived here today.
Another 100,800 doses are to begin arriving here from mid-month through the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) under the global COVAX initiative.
Bridgetown is awaiting final approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) before administering the India-produced jabs, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of Government.
Officer in Charge of the Northern Division, Acting Senior Superintendent John Boyce, informed officers at the Holetown Police Station in St James that the vaccine will be administered to them between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. as soon as a date is announced, according to an internal memorandum obtained by Barbados TODAY.
In the memo dated Saturday, Senior Superintendent Boyce reminded his men and women that Government had acquired the Oxford AstraZeneca jab and has directed that all essential workers be first inoculated.
“As a result, the members of Holetown Police Station will commence receiving the vaccine at the Branford Taitt Polyclinic, Black Rock, St Michael between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The date will be announced as it comes to hand. A schedule will be posted for your information and you are asked to make yourself available according to the schedule,” stated Senior Superintendent Boyce in the memo.
The senior police official also said that transport will be available at Holetown Police Station half an hour before each officer’s scheduled time.
“However, if you are desirous of using your own transportation, you must inform the SPO in charge,” the memo read, concluding by telling the officers that their cooperation would be appreciated.
When contacted, Senior Superintendent Boyce confirmed the contents of the memo.
The Officer in Charge of the populous Bridgetown Division, Senior Superintendent Antonio Forte told Barbados TODAY he has sent out a similar memo to members of the constabulary in his area.
“I have [sent a similar memo]. In my opinion, it is a softer approach to the process, so that when it is rolled out, people would already [have] been sensitized and therefore make themselves available to have it done or not have it done,” Senior Superintendent Forte declared.
Asked which polyclinic his officers will be attending, the police management official said while he believes it is Branford Taitt Polyclinic, he is still to receive confirmation one way or the other.
Senior Superintendent Forte also could not say what hours of the day the officers in the Bridgetown Division would be going to get their vaccines.
It was not immediately clear when officers in the Southern Division will receive the jab.
Barbados TODAY reached out to Officer in Charge of the Southern Division, Acting Senior Superintendent Bruce Rowe, to ascertain if he had sent out a similar notification to his men and women in that jurisdiction.
But he said he had not circulated any such document.
“As far as I know, the vaccine is not ready for distribution yet. I don’t jump the gun,” Senior Superintendent Rowe told Barbados TODAY. “When I get notification, I will do what needs to be done. All I am telling you, I does wait on instructions. When I get instructions that the vaccine is ready, I know what I have to do.” (EJ)
