Earlier we brought you some comments from the Minister of Health. We caught up with him at the Western Regional Hospital after he joined the 2,000+ healthcare workers who have gotten the jab.
Chebat told us that he felt it was important for him to get vaccinated to instill confidence in Belizeans and to encourage them to get the shot when it's their turn. Courtney Menzies was there and has the step by step process of Chebat's vaccination.
The Minister of Health and Wellness is the latest public figure to get the jab of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. He took his shot at the Western Regional Hospital and he was in and out in less than half an hour, looking a bit more chipper than when he arrived.
Courtney Menzies:
"Minister, how do you feel right now?"
Hon Michel Chebat, Minister of Health
"Good, good, thank God I don't feel any reactions at this time. I was vaccinated 20 minutes ago and all is well so far. As you can see, the flow was really swift this morning, I went in and they took my data initially and the nurse came out and gave us a quick little talk about what to expect and what vaccination we're going to be getting. And then I was shown into the vaccination room where I was vaccinated and I had to wait fifteen minutes in the waiting area for observation just to make sure I didn't have any adverse reaction."
And while Chebat is that much safer against the virus, his ministerial colleagues will have to wait to get their vaccinations.
That's because they, along with the rest of the National Assembly, are in phase two of the rollout. So how did Chebat get to jump the line? He said he too questioned it before today.
Hon Michel Chebat, Minister of Health
"I am taking it as a part of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, when they calculated the number of healthcare workers that would be included, the staff at the Ministry was included so I am part of the Ministry of Health and Wellness."
"I questioned that but I believe as the Minister of Health and Wellness it is important to show to the general public that I have confidence in the vaccine and hopefully that will allow them to have confidence in the vaccine as well. So I decided although the National Assembly is not slated to go until the second phase, I felt it was important for me to set up and be vaccinated at this time."
But was the Minister at all concerned about the reports of blood clots in those who have taken this very vaccine? He told us it's the opposite really, since there is no evidence that the two things are correlated.
Hon Michel Chebat, Minister of Health
"We have obtained updated information coming out of Europe and coming out of the UK which actually indicates the benefits of taking the AstraZeneca vaccines far outweighs whatever risk might be associated with it. They've also said out of the 5 million persons that have been vaccinated with it, only 30 so far exhibit the thrombosis. And they have also said there is no direct link with the vaccine and the thrombosis. So I'm happy I took the vaccine, I have confidence in the vaccination and that is why I felt it was important for me to step up and take it to show I am prepared to do that."
According to the Minister, approximately 2,444 healthcare workers have been vaccinated so far - over 50%.
