Regional Commander for Region One (Barima-Waini), Superintendent K Mandall and ranks of the Mabaruma Police Station in Region One (Barima-Waini) received their COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday.
Police Commander of Region One Superintendent K Mandall and other ranks taking the COVID-19 vaccine
They all received their COVID-19 vaccine at the Mabaruma Hospital by the regional health team. In a statement on Saturday, Police said the ranks were sensitised about the benefits of taking the vaccine, the possible side effects and the date they should return to take the second dose.
“They were given reading material on the said COVID-19 vaccine and paracetamol tablets to drink every 8 hours. In addition, the ranks were encouraged to sensitise their colleagues and members of the public on the importance of preventing death and hospitalisation due to COVID-19 by taking the vaccine whenever it is available for them,” the statement read.
Police Commander of Region One Superintendent K Mandall and other ranks taking the COVID-19 vaccine
So far, there were no side effects and all the ranks who took the said vaccine are well. Also, “those taking the vaccine will continually be monitored”.
The Government’s vaccination programme targets frontline workers, health workers and the elderly mainly because they are considered to be the most at risk.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips reiterated earlier this month that this vaccination campaign is part of Phase Two of the PPP/C Government’s plan to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The first phase dealt with the emergency measures put in place to fortify the health system to deal with not only the spread but the tracing and treatment of infected persons.
The Government has already received 103,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the latest being a batch of 80,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from India. It received 20,000 doses of Sinopharm from the People’s Republic of China and 3000 of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from Barbados.
The Government is awaiting a consignment of 104,000 vaccines through the COVAX mechanism, and 149,000 doses under a Caricom-African Union purchase agreement.
