50,000 Targeted In Four-Day Vaccination Blitz

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is looking to administer 50,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations at blitz events across the island over the next four days.

Targeted are persons aged 60 years and over, teachers and other employees of educational institutions, persons employed to Jamaica Customs, the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica Fire Brigade, Department of Correctional Services, and the tourism sector, and those in the priority groups, who were previously called upon to become vaccinated.

“Between Friday and Tuesday of next week, we will establish a number of blitz sites around the country… and these sites will operate from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm. In fact, we have 44 sites that have been set up or are being set up to accommodate vaccination programmes across the country,” said portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.

He was addressing the Ministry’s weekly virtual ‘COVID Conversations’ on Thursday (April 8).

Some of the 44 vaccination sites that have been operationalised are Port Antonio High School in Portland, Claude Stewart Park in St. Mary; Bahia Resort in St. Ann, Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, Lucea Parish Church in Hanover, Sean Lavery Hall in Westmoreland, Independence Park in St. Elizabeth, Denbigh Show Ground in Clarendon, Manchester High School in Mandeville, National Arena in Kingston, Portmore HEART Academy in St. Catherine, and Morant Bay Health Centre in St. Thomas.

Persons in the targeted categories can book an appointment to receive the vaccine by calling the Ministry’s toll-free line at 888-ONE-LOVE (888-663-5683) or by visiting the Ministry’s website at www.moh.gov.jm.

Dr. Tufton said that approximately 1,700 persons, primarily in the 75 years and older age category, were vaccinated at two blitzes held at the National Arena over the last two weekends.

“We learnt a lot from that experience and we are now moving to ensure that we move now to a national rollout, which is very important because, clearly, it is our intention to get as many persons as possible vaccinated to achieve the herd immunity that is so critical,” he noted.

Jamaica on Thursday (April 8), received 75,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the African Medical Supply Platform, which will be utilised in the vaccination blitzes.

Minister Tufton, who was at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston for the arrival, appealed for more persons to register and turn up to receive the vaccination at the upcoming events.

“We would like to see more take-up… . We’re going to have to play a more effective role in communicating the importance of the vaccine, but I would say, so far so good. There is still a long road to travel, but we have started well,” he noted.

Dr. Tufton commended the health workers, noting that “they have applied themselves, they have adjusted where necessary… they have really administered courtesy and a level of expertise that we have to appreciate as a people”.

Persons with appointments for vaccination within the hours of curfew during the upcoming weekend will be allowed to travel with proper identification and confirmation details of their appointment.

As of Wednesday (April 7), approximately 47,700 Jamaicans had been vaccinated through the Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Programme, which started on March 10.