The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has relaxed one of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions to allow sporting and recreational outdoor activities for a maximum of 22 people.

The announcement was made on Saturday (February 20) by Trinidad’s Minister of Sport and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe. Speaking at a COVID-19 virtual press conference, Cudjoe disclosed that the relaxed measure was for recreation only. She explained that the restriction remains for team competitions and professional leagues.

In justifying the relaxation Minister Cudjoe remarked, “It is important that we roll back slowly and monitor the situation properly before we encourage larger gatherings. I want to make it abundantly clear that we are rolling back this measure to allow outdoor sporting only.”

She was adamant that the Rowley administration is not encouraging leagues and competitions that require gathering or sporting indoors.

The welcomed amendment will be implemented as of Sunday, February 21.

Trinidad begins COVID vaccination drive

In the meantime, Trinidad has started its COVID-19  vaccination beginning with 100 frontline healthcare workers. They were the first to be inoculated as the Ministry of Health began its first phase of vaccinations at the Couva Multi-Training Facility on Friday.

They received their first of two doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The first person to receive a dose was Keisha Prevatt-Gomez, a nurse who treats COVID-19 patient at the Infectious Disease Control department at the Caura Hospital.

Prevatt-Gomez admitted she had her reservations about getting the jab at first but after doing her research, she was convinced.

She was followed by Dr Don Martin, Medical Chief of Staff at the Couva Medical and Multi-Training Facility, who said he was proud to be one of the “pioneers who stepped forward to take this vaccine.”

Minister of Health, Terrence Deyalsingh has expressed his pleasure that these healthcare workers have come forward to be inoculated.

The Health Ministry has since undergone campaigns to educate and promote the vaccine, often dedicating large portions of their tri-weekly press briefings to the endeavour.

The frontline workers are being inoculated from a batch of 2,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine the country got as a gift from Barbados last week. Barbados received the vaccines from India.

The country is expected to receive between 100,000 to 120,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZene vaccine.