Thousands Of Persons To Receive Second Dose Of Vaccine This Weekend

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is looking to vaccinate 25,000 persons who are now due their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine this weekend, during the staging of a vaccination blitz.

To take place at 20 locations islandwide, the blitz will start today (July 2) at the National Arena in Kingston and the Montego Bay Comprehensive Health Centre, Catherine Hall Sports Complex, and Sandals Inn in St. James.

The vaccinations will predominately take place on Saturday (July 3) and Sunday (July 4), but will continue at some sites until Tuesday (July 6).

Other sites are the Mona Ageing and Wellness, Kingston; Portmore HEART Academy, St. Jago Health Centre and Linstead Health Centre in St. Catherine; Ocho Rios Health Centre and St. Ann’s Bay Baptist Church, St. Ann; Port Maria Health Centre, Gayle Civic Centre and Highgate Health Centre, St. Mary; Portland Health Department, Buff Bay Health Centre, Portland; Denbigh Primary and Kellits High School, Clarendon; Independence Park and Junction Health Centre, St. Elizabeth, and the Lucea Health Centre, Hanover.

Jamaica recently received a shipment of 65,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Government of Mexico, which will facilitate the staging of the blitz.

Speaking at the virtual COVID Conversations media briefing on July 1, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said persons slated to receive their second dose should make appointments online at the Ministry’s website www.moh.gov.jm or through the vaccination call centre at 1-888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683).

He said persons who receive a vaccination confirmation should take their vaccination cards, TRN and a government-issued identification card or a letter from a Justice of the Peace to the sites to receive their second dose.

Dr. Tufton noted that the second doses are to be administered to persons in the eight to 12-week window.

The Ministry had paused blitz activities, as the number of vaccines available in the island was low.

“We really want to deal with persons who have had their first dose eight weeks and over, between eight and 12 weeks, so they are due their second dose. We want to use this weekend to give those persons the opportunity to get their second dose,” the Minister said.

“So, I appeal to the public, do not go to the centre if you do not fall in the category of requiring a second dose eight to 12 weeks. If you go and you fall outside of that or you don’t have evidence of that, chances are you are going to be turned away and we do not want you to have that inconvenience. We will revisit the approach after this weekend to include others,” he said.

The Minister noted that the approach is aimed at reducing “unnecessary congestion” at the sites, adding that persons who are due their second dose but have not made an appointment will be facilitated during the inoculation activities.

Meanwhile, he said up to June 30, a total of 261,267 persons had been vaccinated. Of that number, 174,110 had received only their first dose, while 87,156 had received their second dose.

“We are trying to deal with completing that process for those who are due,” the Minister said.

He urged Jamaicans to be mindful of the severe weather alert that has been issued by the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and not to take unnecessary risks to get to the vaccination centres.

“Take your umbrella, make provisions for the possibility of inclement weather and don’t take any unnecessary risk. While we are saying prepare yourself for the potential of rain, we are also saying if it gets really bad and you feel overexposed and at risk, particularly to our senior citizens, stay home,” he advised.