More than 21 million of the over 44 million residents of the Caribbean have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr Carissa Etienne has reported.
While addressing PAHO’s weekly COVID-19 digital briefing on Wednesday, Dr Etienne highlighted the need for countries to do more to reach unvaccinated people.
She said that interventions should be tailored to the needs of those who remain vulnerable in each country, including the elderly and persons with underlying health conditions.
In addition, the PAHO director said that measures must be put in place to make it easier for people to get a vaccine closer to home.
“This can be done by investing in staff and infrastructure to ensure that vaccination centres are closer to the people who need them most and that the hours of operation are convenient for working adults,” she said, noting that PAHO is collaborating with governments across the region in this regard.
Dr Etienne noted that spaces must also be created for open dialogue to address community concerns.
