The Elderly Population in Belmopan Get Vaccinated!
The Belmopan Civic Centre was today transformed into a vaccination centre for the first phase of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Before midday, over one hundred had come out to get their jabs and headed back home with a renewed level of confidence to move around. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
From as early as nine a.m., scores of persons from a most vulnerable population as well as persons who are on dialysis, HIV positive or are cancer patients, converged at the Belmopan Civic Centre to get their shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, acquired recently through a donation from India. The administering of the vaccine was an easy process.
Rosalva Blanco
Rosalva Blanco, Quality Assurance & Chairperson, COVID-19 Response Team, WRH
“They preregistered so that it would be even easier for them, like for example having to find their health information system number. From there, they arrive and they still do a pre-screening because we need to know their baseline vital signs. They are then given a card, they go over to the vaccinators; they get the vaccine, wait for fifteen minutes so that they can be observed for any adverse reaction if any and then you walk out.”
While the traffic to the centre was primarily those who had preregistered, walk-ins are not being turned away.
Bernadette Wade-Rivas
Bernadette Wade-Rivas, Nursing Administrator, Western Regional Hospital
“We are also accommodating those who are just walk-ins. We just ask for them to have an identification [card] and they are still getting their vaccines. We are still processing them. So we have people with appointments and we are accommodating walk-ins as well and so far, we have vaccinated over a hundred people so we are going good.”
Among those getting vaccinated was Philip Timmons, who says that he was ready despite the apprehension by some of the side effects.
Philip Timmons
Philip Timmons, Belmopan Resident
“I am here for an 11:30 appointment to take the vaccine. I believe it, I am over sixty definitely, and it is time that I take the vaccination. I believe it is safe enough. Mind you, there are other people who are cautious or suspicious about it, but I believe that it is safe enough. It gives you and it builds up a wall and helps you to guard against the COVID-19 situation.”
Guadalupe Link, Belmopan Resident
“Me, I was scared, afraid. I got nervous. My daughter kept on telling me go, go, go, go. Maybe other people need it more than I, but she convinced me to come and I feel it was okay. It wasn’t hard.”
Guadalupe Link
While it is only the first of two jabs that these persons are getting, it does help them regain another level of normalcy.
Guadalupe Link
“I was afraid to walk outside, to go buy because the way I heard how COVID-19 treat you and people die, it scares me. So every time I go home, I wonder if I ketch it. But now that I am getting the injection, I feel confident that I can go out now.”
Philip Timmons
“It gives you that consciousness, that safety-ness; you feel more confident, you feel better. And if you feel better, it is less stress you have on you so all in all, it sets you up better for moving around and meeting with other people.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
