Jamaicans Still Being Encouraged to Get Covid-19 Vaccine

#Jamaica, March 31, 2022 – The Ministry of Health and Wellness continues to encourage Jamaicans to get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, as the virus remains a threat globally.

Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said that vaccine take-up “has gotten slower as persons perceive that the risk no longer exists or does not exist in a significant way as it did earlier”.

“COVID is still a threat. Although the numbers are low, people still die from COVID each day and there are still the vulnerabilities that those who have not been vaccinated will suffer from,” he pointed out while addressing a recent virtual COVID Conversations press briefing.

More than 1.39 million doses of vaccines have been administered, to date, comprising 687,499 first doses, 578,893 second doses, and 91,565 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.  A total of 3,514 doses have been administered to immunocompromised persons.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, informed that approximately 670,177 or 25 per cent of Jamaicans are fully vaccinated against the COVID-19.

“We have an additional four per cent of persons who would have received one dose and need to complete their vaccination. That will take us overall to 29 per cent of our population that has been touched with vaccination. We really need to get those numbers up,” she noted.

In addition, she said that only 28,793 booster doses have been administered and encouraged persons who are eligible to get their shots.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie,

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie said that St. Thomas and Portland account for the lowest vaccination numbers, followed by St. Catherine.

“If it is that we have an increase in the number of cases, St. Catherine will be a real threat because of the density of the population and the very low level of vaccine take-up,” she pointed out.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie noted, further, that a number of persons in the vulnerable over-60 age group remain unvaccinated and encouraged those who have received two vaccine doses to take the booster shot, “so you can keep your immunity up and keep yourselves out of hospitals in case of any other new variant”.

The Chief Medical Officer reiterated that an increase in vaccine take-up is critical in reducing the number of confirmed cases, the positivity and reproductive rates, and hopitalisation and deaths.

She pointed out that 98 per cent of persons who have died due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated, with 0.8 per cent partially vaccinated and 1.2 per cent fully vaccinated.

Release: JIS

Contact: Chris Patterson