Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley receiving her third COVID-19 booster shot from Senior Health Sister at Winston Scott Polyclinic, Rosanette Cooke, at Ilaro Court yesterday. (B. Hinds/BGIS)

Prime Minister Mia Amor received her third booster shot and is encouraging Barbadians who are yet to receive their shot or boosters to do so and take charge of their health.

The Prime Minister received the booster shot from Senior Health Sister at Winston Scott Polyclinic, Rosanette Cooke, at Ilaro Court yesterday. 

Prior to this, Ms. Mottley had her blood pressure measured by second year medical student and President of the Medical Students Association, Iman Beckles, as part of a collaborative effort between the University of the West Indies and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados for May Measurement Month.

Head of Isolation Facilities and Infection Control Specialist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Dr. Corey Forde, also received his third booster from the senior health official.

The Prime Minister told reporters that although mask wearing outdoors is now optional, the country must still manage the risks associated with COVID-19 and being vaccinated or boosted was integral to this process.

She urged Barbadians to get their booster shots every five to six months adding that she was prepared to “walk the walk”.

“As you can see, I have arranged to have a booster today [yesterday] too, why? We’re not asking anybody to do anything that I am not prepared to do or Dr. Forde is not prepared to do and in these things we think we should walk the walk and not just talk the talk,” Ms. Mottley insisted.

The Prime Minister continued: “COVID is going to be with us, it is effectively endemic and the biggest tragedy is regrettably, globally. Millions of vaccines will go to waste between now and the end of the year and it will be of no use, even if we wanted them to be next year, probably because the flu like virus it’s going to mutate and mutate and mutate and that’s why the vaccines every year have to be tweaked and changed.  So, we really are urging those who can and who need to, come forward…Once you reach five, five and a half or six months, those are the ones where I see people say they have COVID because their immunity is waning,” Ms. Mottley underlined.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also urged Barbadians to know their blood pressure measurements, pointing out that the rising dialysis numbers were brought on in most cases by improper management of diabetes.

She added: “Measurement, monitoring, activity, those are the buzz words and of course watching what you eat, reducing the level of sugar, reducing the level of salt and getting some basic exercise.  I’ve started back exercising and I will encourage everybody to do the same.”

Ms. Mottley maintained that if Barbadians took better care of themselves, the pressure on the QEH would be significantly reduced.

julie.carrington@barbados.gov.bb

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