The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SCORES of senior citizens queued yesterday to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the Church of God of Prophecy on East Street.

While The Tribune visited the church, the parking lot had a line that was steadily moving allowing individuals to then sit under a tent while waiting to go in the building.

According to 78-year-old Lillian Smith, “From the beginning straight to the end, everybody was so nice and so pleasant.”

She said she heard about the vaccination centre on Monday and was told people could walk in without making appointments. Mrs Smith came with her husband, who has Alzheimer’s, to the church.

The grandmother was hesitant at first about getting the vaccine.

“At first... I really wasn’t going to do it,” she said. “I say I need to know a little bit more about it or wait until (an) amount of people have gotten it and then but when I thought about it, I said, no, I think I should go ahead and just do it and let my husband do it.

“I really wanted to give it a little bit more time and after I hear all of my colleagues and some of my family in Freeport especially they told me that they went ahead and get it so I said well I will go, but I really wasn’t going – I was scared.”

She added she is planning to travel soon, another reason why the vaccine was needed.

“I am supposed to be going to the Cayman Islands when they open – having a knee surgery.”

Randy Curtis, 73, is a funeral director. He said his establishment had a couple of a deceased clients who had died from the virus. Mr Curtis admitted these deaths motivated him to get the vaccine.

“As a funeral director, I’m almost like a first responder and I would wish to see the country open back up and I believe that vaccination (is) the best way to beat COVID-19,” he said.

Still he said the vaccination process could use “some tweaking”.

“Well they try to help everybody. Persons with appointments don’t feel comfortable with non-appointees going in, but I guess they’re trying to help everybody.”

Meanwhile, Reverend Frederick Kelly, 75, said he tried to get an appointment online but was unable to do so. So he came to see if he could walk-up and register.

He explained: “Well the virus is still with us and it’s safe. You know I pastor a church and you know a lot of the people in my congregation are not yet vaccinated, so I thought it was safe at my age to come and be vaccinated.

“You know there’s so many rumours circulating on social media and often the rumours put people off, but I think it’s safe to be vaccinated. From what we have heard all around the world you know there’s no adverse affects from it. So I think it would be sensible and wise to become vaccinated.”

When asked if she was shocked that there was a huge turnout of senior citizens at the site, Nurse Darrell Strachan admitted she was surprised because there was a lot of scepticism in relation to people taking the vaccine.

She noted the process was smooth, said the appointment system was down.

“That’s what really I think caused a little bit of a back-up,” Nurse Strachan added.

But it was important for her to get vaccinated.

“I’m a nurse and I’m frequently exposed to COVID-19 patients, so wanna make sure that I’m protected.

“I’m just trying to make sure, follow all the necessary precautions, but, of course, we know of healthcare workers who followed those and you know still became sick with the COVID-19. So I just want to make sure whatever I could do to protect myself and family that I do.”

For persons who maybe on the fence or considering getting the vaccine, the nurse said they should make their decision based on facts.