With their parents eager for the resumption of face-to-face learning, hundreds of children in Region Two have already received their first Pfizer jabs under the adolescent COVID-19 vaccination campaign that is now underway.
According to Regional Education Officer Nichola Matthews, 910 Primary-level students and 3,604 Secondary-level students in the region are eligible to be vaccinated.
The Pfizer vaccines for children 12 and older were made available at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School (ARMS), the Johanna Cecilia Secondary, and the Charity Secondary School on Monday.
During visits to the locations, Stabroek News found parents who were very happy with the move by the Ministry of Education to allow their children access to vaccines.
The ministry has said only vaccinated secondary-level students would be allowed to attend face-to-face classes.
Regional Health Officer Dr Ranjeev Singh said that the region’s vaccination drive began on Sunday and the feedback had been positive as parents were showing up in their numbers with their children to get them vaccinated. He said over 800 students have already received the vaccines and he thanked both parents and teachers for cooperating.
At Charity, parents showed up with their children as early as 8 am to get registered. One such parent was Vivian De Silva, of Charity, who took his daughter for her first dose of the vaccine. De Silva said that he wants his child to return to school and so he ensured that she received the vaccine.
June Rodrigues, a mother of six children from Grant Providence, Lower Pomeroon, said that she was ensuring that all her children are vaccinated.
Donna Persaud, of Better Success, said she joined the lines as early as 8 am for her daughter to get vaccinated.
Drupattie Samaroo, from Charity village, added that she wants the school to be re-opened so her child can restart face-to-face learning.
Headmaster of the Anna Regina Secondary School (ARMS) Lalljeet Rooplall noted that 1,025 students at his school were eligible to access the vaccine. He indicated that parents were cooperating and noted that they was high praise for the vaccine rollout.
The vaccination drive for children will continue today at the 8th May Secondary and on Wednesday, September 8, at the Kabakaburi Primary.
