Tufton rubbishes COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theories

WESTERN BUREAU:

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has expressed his displeasure over the conspiracy theories being circulated against the Government’s plans to offer Jamaica for the testing of the vaccines being developed against COVID-19.

According to Tufton, who was in Falmouth, Trelawny, for the groundbreaking and announcement of the final plans for the erection of the J$36 million COVID-19 field hospital on the grounds of the Falmouth Hospital, says that the stories being circulated are unhelpful as they are creating unnecessary panic.

“These conspiracies only spread panic,” said Tufton. “It is the enemy of the Government’s COVID response. There is one about the calling of the elections (the September 3 general election), there is one about vaccinations, and there is another about drug trials. All they do is undermine our collaborative efforts to deal with our response.”

In urging citizens not to buy into the conspiracies, which has been gaining much traction on social media, Tufton said the nation needs to take a responsible approach in responding to the unverified claims. He said that the preferred approach is for citizens to seek clarity from the Government and informed stakeholders.

“You the people are the stakeholders ... . If in doubt, seek clarity,” said Tufton, who made it clear that he desperately wants to see an end to the so-called conspiracy stories because of their capacity to blunt the effort to control the spread of the deadly virus.

OTHER FIELD HOSPITALS

According to Tufton, in addition to the field hospital in Falmouth, other field hospitals will be located at the St Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Centre in Kingston and at an unnamed location in Mandeville. He also stated that a mobile hospital would be located in central Jamaica.

“There will be an additional 150 beds dedicated to those who may need hospitalisation,” said Tufton in outlining the capacity of the field hospitals.

As it relates to the structure that will be put in place in Falmouth, Tufton said that ultimately, it would be more than a field hospital as it would be in place after COVID-19 and would function as an extra ward.

“For Falmouth, it is a good thing. When COVID is gone, the ward will still be here,” said Tufton, who noted that he expected that 97 per cent of the people who test positive (for COVID-19) can recover at home.

Errol Greene, the chairman of the Western Regional Authority, told The Gleaner that the field hospital should be completed and become operational in three weeks.

“It is likely to be completed in another three weeks. We have been very proactive. We are now appealing to doctors and nurses to come out and help provide the service which will be needed,” said Green.