73,880 Children Vaccinated Against COVID-19

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, says that 73,880 children, aged 12 to 18, have been vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19) to date.

She made the disclosure during a statement to the House of Representatives on September 15.

Mrs. Williams continued to urge principals, teachers, students, administrative and ancillary staff, as well as parents, to get vaccinated. 

“We are again appealing to everyone to wear masks, wash your hands or sanitise frequently and practise physical distancing. These protocols, together with the added layer of protection that vaccinations provide, are Jamaica’s best tools for significantly reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, decreasing hospitalisations, and getting our students back into the face-to-face classes,” she said.

 “Administrators, teachers and ancillary staff in the public education sector, who are working in the school environment with our early-childhood/infant and primary-level children are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated,” the Minister added.

Mrs. Williams noted that at this time, there is no vaccine available for children below 12 years of age.

“As such, we as adults have a collective responsibility to ourselves and our children to not only steadfastly continue to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols but to also make the decision to get the added layer of protection afforded from being vaccinated,” she said.