By NAN Staff Writer
News Americas, PORT-OF-SPAIN, Thurs. Aug. 26, 2021: The President of a Caribbean island nation has denied she has received a third coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine while in the United States.
Trinidad & Tobago’s President, Paula-Mae Weekes, said Wednesday said she had not received the booster shot, and blamed a misunderstanding by the New York City’s Kings County for the situation.
Her comments came after New York City’s Kings County tweeted a statement and a photo that said: “Our hospital leadership team greeted President Weekes and company while she waited for her vaccine. Get vaccinated today.”
But speaking at a news conference to clarify the situation, President Weekes, who returned home on Wednesday, said she had received two Astra Zeneca vaccines in Trinidad and Tobago.
“I was on my way home from the airport, expecting to go home directly from the airport when it came to my attention on arrival at Piarco (International Airport) that there had been something of a firestorm …out of an issue of a tweet issued by the Kings County Hospital in New York.
“I am here in person to set the record straight and to say right off from the beginning that the tweet was incorrect in so far as it said that I went to the hospital for the purpose of being vaccinated.”
She told reporters that the error has since been corrected.
“I have had two vaccinations. The first was on April 6 and the second on June 7,” she said, adding “I have had no other vaccine, booster or otherwise, nor has any other vaccine been suggested to me to take. So, please let me make it clear I had no vaccination in New York and what I did was the PCR test and I will take this opportunity to record my thanks to Kings County Hospital. I understand they have since corrected the tweet when we drew it to their attention,”’ she said.
In a tweet clarifying the matter, the hospital said “on August 24th we in error stated that the President of Trinidad & Tobago, Paula-Mae Weekes received a #COVID19 vaccine. She in fact received a COVID-19 test where our hospital leadership team greeted President Weekes & company. We were honored to have her visit.”
