Crowd overwhelms Grove HC staff In quest for COVID-19 vaccine

A LARGE CROWD SWAMPED THE GROVE HEALTH CENTRE MONDAY TRYING TO
GET THE COVID-19 VACCINE. Embarrassed healthcare workers said they were not properly
notified to prepare for the flood which started early Monday at the government health facility on
the East Bank Demerara.
The surge began as early as 4am Monday after residents learned that the vaccine would be
available to inoculate them against them against the rampaging pandemic which has so far killed
275 locals and more than three million worldwide.
By 7am the swell was uncontrollable because by then patients with chronic and other life-
threatening diseases needing treatment joined the deluge of persons.
Patients’ patience began to boil over.
“Imagine I deh hey since 4 this morning. I am the third person and now its 8.30 and nothing ain’t
start as yet even though it was on the radio that it would start at 8am,” a female among the crowd
told www.aroundtheregions.com. She heard about the vaccination the Sunday evening and was
determined to get her shot. The bedlam was shocking and disappointing.
To community members and healthcare workers who admitted ignorance about the COVID-q9
vaccination roll out that day.
“I am very sorry. Some of the staff like me did not know about this and sadly its only now that
we are being told that Vaccines are going to be shared,” an embarrassed staff of the Health
Centre relayed to the agitated crowd.
The facility was too small to handle the crowd.
COVID-19 protocols were brushed aside with the sea of faces by then numbering above 200.

“They should have shared numbers so that there would be no confusion. When I came, I was
number 32 and now it seems as though I am way pass 100 but I am not prepared to fight among
these persons just to prove that I was number 32. This is slackness and the health centre and
those administering the vaccine should take responsibility. This is real nonsense,” a woman
complained.
Out of frustration she left without getting her COVID-19 jab. By then it was past 9 am and the
Health Centre staff were still not ready.
The vaccines arrived in a vehicle with ‘Pest Control’ markers quickly spiking safety fears among
the crowd. Healthcare workers tried desperately to quell the crowd’s growing anxieties. Several
left out of fear and/or frustration.

“They should have put proper systems in place as you can’t say that you giving the vaccine at
8am and at 8.10 you have some staff walking in to work. There is a need for an aggressive
change to how government-related services are executed. It seems like no one really cares about
those who are being affected. Those in authority come whenever they are ready or feel like, and
sadly those waiting on the service are forced to wait,” an elderly man bitterly complained.
He left and was unsure whether he will subject himself to further unnecessary frustrations from
the local healthcare system.
Some who turned up since 4am were still waiting six hours later for the vaccine and left the
Grove Health Centre one by one, unvaccinated, disappointed and outraged.
www.aroundtheregions.com reporter Mr. Rawle Nelson left too sometime after 10 hours. Still,
no one had by then, been vaccinated.
Sources reported that the poorly organised and executed exercise started much later.
One blamed the chaos on poor communication and inadequate dissemination of information.

This, the source said, was worsened by the sudden spike in responsibilities handed to the
already limited number of overburdened Grove Health Centre staff to oversee the
Monday’s vital initiative.