PM Urges Continued Vigilance Against COVID-19
By: , February 21, 2021The Key Point:
Photo: Michael Sloley
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (right), greets Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie (left), with an elbow bump at Friday's (February 19) ground breaking ceremony for the $16 million Andrews Mews Health and Recreational Centre in Olympic Gardens, St. Andrew. Also pictured in the background (from left), are: Mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor, Delroy Williams; and Chief Executive Officer of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, (KSAMC), Robert Hill (partially hidden).The Facts
- “So we will have some amount of vaccines in the island in short order, but you’re not going to have enough vaccines to do 2.7 million Jamaicans all at once, so we have a priority list and we should begin our programme quickly,” he said.
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As Jamaica prepares to receive its first shipment of vaccines, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness is appealing for citizens to not become complacent regarding the gravity of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and to continue to adhere to the infection prevention and control measures.
He said that the situation demands continued vigilance as it will take some time for the majority of the population to receive the vaccine.
“So, I want my Jamaican brothers and sisters to appreciate that we are still in the danger zone and so the vaccine that is readily available to us is the mask, the social distancing, the hand sanitising, the gathering rules, and how you conduct yourself.
“These have always been the first and foremost methods of protecting yourself against the disease and I want to urge our Jamaicans to bear that in mind. Continue to wear your mask, continue to observe the infection prevention protocols, continue to observe the curfews,” he stressed.
The Prime Minister, who was speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for a $16 million recreational centre in Olympic Gardens, St. Andrew on Friday (February 19), said it would appear that the number of new cases is declining in some countries.
“People are getting vaccinated and (also) through the natural immunity gained by persons becoming infected or exposed, and of course by putting in place (prevention) measures. It does not mean, however, that you could not have a third or a fourth or a fifth wave because although the vaccines are becoming available, you cannot manufacture three or four billion vials of the vaccine in two or three weeks or a month – it is going to take some time,” he noted.
Mr. Holness said that the Government is working assiduously to get supplies of vaccines into the country.
This is through the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, which was designed to accelerate equitable access by countries globally to appropriate, safe, and effective vaccines, and other modalities and arrangements.
“So we will have some amount of vaccines in the island in short order, but you’re not going to have enough vaccines to do 2.7 million Jamaicans all at once, so we have a priority list and we should begin our programme quickly,” he said.
The first shipment of vaccines is expected in the island this month.