‘Small drop’ of Jamaicans fully vaccinated
Published:Saturday | June 5, 2021 | 12:10 AMNadine Wilson/Staff Reporter
With less than 25,000 Jamaicans now fully vaccinated, health officials are hoping the more than 600 persons who took their jabs at the National Arena in a blitz on March 27 will come out today for their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Director of family health services in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dr Melody Ennis, said the number of persons fully vaccinated is just “a small drop”, considering that Jamaica has a population of at least 2.7 million, but she tried to remain optimistic. She also noted that it was too soon to be overly concerned about second dosages as persons are given between eight and 12 weeks to become fully vaccinated.
“We have to wait until mid to end June to speak to that but, certainly, we are seeing an uptake and we are encouraging persons to come out for the second dose,” she said.
Today’s special blitz will take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Those expected to participate today are reminded to take a Government-issued identification or a letter from a justice of the peace and the vaccination card that was issued to them when they received their first dose. Persons who are 65 years and older are allowed to be accompanied by one caregiver at the vaccination site.
“We started calling them and sending text messages to tell them to say what time, but we announced that everybody who received on the 27th at the Arena, you are to be prepared to come back to the Arena on the fifth [of June]. Just wait for your call to get the time when you should turn up,” she said.
She said those who had missed their appointments for their second jab should ideally make arrangements with their health centre, although it is anticipated that some might show up at the Arena today.
“We know how people are, we know we might have persons who turn up. We know, so we have to make accommodations, but it is really and truly for persons from the 27th of March,” she explained.
Ennis noted that the less than 25,000 represent those who were fully vaccinated up to March 26. She and other officials were still collating the current figures yesterday. She said they are also still disaggregating the data to determine how many Jamaicans had adverse reactions after taking the second dose.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40 per cent of the American population was fully vaccinated up to May.
Jamaica kick-started its vaccination programme on March 10, exactly a year after the first case of COVID-19 was reported in the island.
Ennis said close to 60 per cent of health workers have received the first dose of the vaccine. Close to 16,000 health workers were being targeted in the first phase of the country’s Interim Vaccination Implementation Plan. Of the 18,000 teachers targeted, 6,000 have received their first dose.
The health official is optimistic that Jamaica will be able to secure sufficient vaccines to offer persons their second dose at the designated time, as the country continues to have bilateral discussions to source more vaccines.