Living Water Community, SewaTT appeal to migrants to get vaccinated

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The Living Water Community and SewaTT are appealing to migrants to get their vaccinations.

Head of SewaTT Revan Teelucksingh said an appeal went out to the migrant community to come out and vaccinate yesterday and today at the mass vaccination site at the Divali Nagar site, Chaguanas.

Teelucksingh said there had been a poor showing of people taking advantage of the facilities yesterday.

He said the facility can do as much as 3000 vaccines per day.

He said, “We are asking everyone to share the word, we have everything set up, we have translators for almost any language we have here. We are asking you to help our brothers, it’s our responsibility to help our brothers, we have everything in place to assist the migrants once they get here so we are asking the trinis to help them to get to the Nagar.”

Rochelle Nakhid, coordinator for the Living Water Community’s Ministry for Migrants and Refugees, said her organisation had been reaching out to the migrant community and had arranged transport for migrants via shuttle from the Chaguanas Flyover to the Nagar.

Nakhid said, “We have been using a combination of methods from word of mouth, social media, we have been direct messaging, sms messaging, Whatsapp messaging and encouraging people to come out and share videos about the vaccine and the safety of the vaccine.”

Nakhid said there is vaccine hesitancy across the board. She said it is important for the migrants to get vaccinated. She said migrants can call 333-SEWA to arrange transport.

Guardian Media spoke with several migrants who got the jab.

Nellis Dabera De Acosta, who came from Venezuela and has been living in Chaguanas for the past three years, spoke through an interpreter.

De Acosta said, “Everyone should come out and take the vaccine to protect us all. I am inviting all my fellow Venezuelans to come out to the Divali Nagar site and take the vaccine. The process has been great so far.

Maria Ramirez, another Venezuelan national, who also spoke through an interpreter, said she was grateful for getting the opportunity to take the vaccine. “I am begging all Venezuelans to come out and take the vaccine so we can eradicate the virus.

Nereo Gomez, 53, who has been living in T&T for the past three years, said he had an excellent experience at the Nagar.

Gomez said his wife was vaccinated 15 days ago and had no problems after taking the jab.