Pleasing response to BAMP's pop-up clinic

President of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP), Marilyn Rice-Bowen, is pleased with the response yesterday’s Vaccination Pop-Up Clinic received.

She spoke to the media at BARP’s Mervue House, Hastings, Christ Church location where it was held. She said the reason BARP hosted the clinic was to encourage more seniors to get immunised against COVID-19, and to encourage those who are already fully immunised and meet the criteria to obtain their booster shots.

“A cursory glance at the figures on a too regular basis reveals that quite a number of our seniors are dying from COVID, and whenever you look right there, after the age group, it says unvaccinated. That of course concerned BARP, so we decided to host a pop-up clinic catering to the seniors.”

Rice-Bowen, who emphasised that BARP is fighting back against COVID-19 by providing “the platform for seniors in this country to be vaccinated”, further stated she was “quite satisfied” with the turnout of seniors and younger individuals on the day.

She also spoke of the possibility of hosting another Pop-Up Clinic in the near future. Additionally, she said where possible BARP is willing to partner with the Health Ministry to have similar clinics in other locations island wide so more seniors could be reached.

“We would have to communicate first with the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Once they have the personnel and they are prepared to do it, …BARP we would definitely partner with the Ministry and transport the vaccination clinics so that our seniors wherever they reside would be able to access the vaccination.”

Among those present at BARP’s office on Saturday were BARP’s Vice-President, Dame Billie Miller and longstanding BARP member, Dame Maizie Barker-Welch. Both ladies while addressing the media said they were pleased that so many people, particularly the seniors, opted to come to get vaccinated or to receive their booster shots.

Barker-Welch urged more to do likewise. She stated, “I encourage my old friends to come and get the booster and those who have not yet gotten the jab, the first and second, please go and do it. It is the most sensible thing to do.” (MG)