Hundreds vaccinated through mobile campaign

Hundreds of people have been vaccinated through the Ministry of Health and Wellness COVID-19 mobile vaccination campaign.

Speaking to the media today at Bonnetts Community Centre, Bonnetts, St Michael, Public Health Specialist and Co-Coordinator of the National COVID-19 Vaccination programme Dr Elizabeth Ferdinand said Barbadians seem to appreciate the convenience of the mobile unit coming to them.

She suggested that more than 1000 people have been reached by the mobile unit thus far.

Dr Ferdinand said: “Some people can’t get out, some have children. One lady had three young people there with her, so that’s four bus fares to pay to go somewhere back and forth and that’s quite a bit of money.

“And as someone said, as soon as they go into town, they want some fast food here or they want some treats there. Right now, if you are in the community they just come out and get it and go back home, so it’s convenient for them”.

Dr Ferdinand explained that the pop-up at Bonnetts officially launches the UNICEF and USAID project, which involves the entities sponsoring six pop ups throughout the island.

She said at the community pop-ups, Barbadians are able to get their first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccination.

The Public Health Specialist said: “We will be coming to most of the communities as soon as we can. We have a limited amount of staff, but every day we are going to new places. A few of the old [vaccination sites] are still there, but we are trying to move into the community as best we can.

“Today we are doing Bonnetts, which is a major UNICEF and USAID pop-up. Then we have another bus at Four Roads, St John. We have one at Heroes Square and we have one at Massy in Holetown, St James.

“We have Building #2 Harbour Road opened. So, there are lots of places, even today Saturday, that people can go to. So, we are doing pop-ups every day, and we are aiming for six per day”.

“With the UNICEF project we have a loudspeaker … and they are going around the communities the night before and the morning of the pop-up in that area, encouraging people to come out and telling them exactly where the pop-up is,” she added.

Influencer for USAID and UNICEF Aknaten Burrowes, a member of the Barbados COVID-19 Immunization Project, said the international communities have provided support for the outreach programme to encourage Barbadians to get vaccinated. He said the project involves using influencers and entertainers to promote awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine among the general public. (AH)