Authorised System Launched For Fully Vaccinated Persons To Purchase Football Match Tickets

An authorised system was launched today (November 1) to facilitate fully vaccinated persons going online to purchase tickets to attend the Jamaica World Cup qualifying game against the United States at the National Stadium, in Kingston, on November 16.

The Government has given approval for 5,000 fully vaccinated spectators to attend the game.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said all the necessary measures to ensure that there is compliance with COVID-19 protocols are being put in place.

“Today, I want to announce the launch of the system that will facilitate persons going online, and the system that will be authorised to do that is the Events Authorisation system. We are expecting that the system will go online effective Wednesday (November 3) at 7:00 a.m., so that Jamaicans who want to purchase their tickets will be afforded the opportunity to do so,” Mr. McKenzie said, at the virtual launch.

The Minister emphasised that there will be no selling of tickets at locations across the country.

“No tickets will be allowed to be sold at the National Stadium. This Events Authorisation system that has been developed specifically for the purpose will be used to facilitate persons wishing to attend the game at the National Stadium,” Mr. McKenzie pointed out.

“It is on a first come, first served basis. There will be no preferential treatment for anybody. Persons who access the App will be allowed the opportunity once they meet the requirements that have been set out. The App is a game changer, and we are anticipating that once this App is rolled out and we have seen the benefits of it, then we will be using this going forward for other events,” he added.

The Minister said he is confident that the Jamaica Football Federation will ensure that “we make this work”.

Fully vaccinated persons who wish to attend the match must show proof of their vaccination status. Once that is verified, they will be allowed to purchase tickets.

For his part, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton,

explained that people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second shot in a two-dose series, like the Pfizer-BioNTech or AstraZeneca vaccines or two weeks after a single-shot vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

“The first thing is to upload on the system your vaccine card and ID (passport, national ID, driver’s licence) and the Ministry of Health & Wellness team will verify the authenticity of the vaccination card, using our online database,” Dr. Tufton said.

“Once the information is verified and approved, the Ministry will pass on this information to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Jamaica Football Federation,” he added.

He further explained that the person will then be able to purchase a ticket to attend the match using the QR code that is generated.

“So, you will only purchase the ticket after you have been validated and approved,” Dr. Tufton said.

Meanwhile,  Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange said: “We are using this event to signal a very significant change in how we will manage sporting events going forward and other such events.

“My Ministry has been advocating for, and advocating with various sports federations towards the safe resumption of sports in Jamaica and I have had full support from my colleague ministers. So, today is just a wonderful feeling, joined up government working together, we have been able to achieve this,” Ms. Grange said.

In the meantime, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President, Michael Ricketts, said the Federation is pleased to be a part of the paradigm shift in the sporting landscape of Jamaica.

“The JFF is pleased that the first decision that emerged from our meetings and consultations is that 5,000 fully vaccinated paying fans will be allowed into the National Stadium, 1,000 in the grandstand and 4,000 in the bleachers,” Mr. Rickets said.

Members of the public attending the match must observe the COVID-19 Protocols, notably mask wearing, maintaining a physical distance from others and frequently washing and/or sanitising hands.