Update | Tufton defends $422m vaccine marketing budget
Published:Friday | February 12, 2021 | 12:30 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has defended the signing of the $422-million emergency vaccine communication contract, even before eyebrows are raised about the massive budget.
The one-year contract, which has been awarded to One Integrated Group, will see the company earning $22 million, with the balance going towards advertising spend, such as radio, television and newspaper advertisements, as well as on-the-ground activation and deployment in various communities, plus the development of content and securing talent.
Incorporated in 2018, One Integrated has one listed director, Keneshia Nooks.
The contracting comes at a time when governments worldwide have been working tirelessly at convincing anti-vaxers and people doubtful of the safety of the vaccines that they are safe and key to ending the pandemic.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, which has an efficacy of 70 per cent, has been approved for the island, and inoculation should begin by the end of February. However, Tufton expressed concerns that in some parts of the country, a mere 30 per cent of people were interested in the jab.
“The length of time for development and the side effects have created a real narrative and a real challenge for Jamaica,” Tufton said.
Tufton justified the haste in contracting a company capable of leading the campaign and the budget, which he said is determined by the goals and objectives and the period of time to work with.
“When we are talking about a herd immunity, that really ought to represent 70 to 80 per cent, especially for this type of novel virus that is sweeping the world and is impacting the entire population. So it is not an easy task, and my core discipline is marketing, so I can speak with authority,” the health minister said, adding that sometimes, sufficient value is not given to the need to manage public perception.
“I am not envious of what they need to do, because it is a lot. Sometimes we get the impression when we see $400 million, believing it’s a lot.”
Dr Melody Ennis, director of family health services, insisted that the AstraZeneca vaccine was safe, adding that persons with respiratory illness, and obesity, should be among the first set to be immunised. Persons with comorbidities such as HIV, autoimmune diseases, cancer and other such conditions are also being encouraged to get vaccinated, even though it might not mount the desired response.
She said that while vaccines and some medications are not usually given to pregnant women, they will have to weigh the risks and the benefits.
“It is known that persons who are pregnant and contract the COVID virus fare worse than their counterparts, and they tend to have premature deliveries. Bearing that in mind, and looking at the composition of the vaccine, we are now weighing the benefits of taking a vaccine with the risk of having detrimental premature harmful pregnancies.”
Editor's Note: Renee Nooks was referenced as a director of One Integrated in the original version of this story. She is actually listed as a secretary. Keneshia Nooks is the only director.