The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) says work to develop a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in Cuba has advanced to the phase three clinical trial stage. Speaking during a recent COVID-19 digital briefing, PAHO's Assistant Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, said Cuban vaccine manufacturers commenced phase three trial activities two weeks ago. This included pilot vaccinations involving volunteers, and usually precedes World...

Young people are being encouraged to preserve the Jamaican culture and heritage, especially in these times of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This appeal came from Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, during an address to declare open a virtual National Culture Clubs’ Conference, on Friday (March 26). Representatives from over 130 culture clubs islandwide attended the...

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says the side effects from the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine he received, were mild. The Prime Minister was vaccinated on Monday (March 22), at The Good Samaritan’s Inn, in Kingston. “For me, I got a low-grade fever and maybe a day of feeling fatigued... but I was still able to function. By Wednesday (March...

“I didn’t even feel it,” were the words 101-year-old Fannie Knight, after receiving her first dose of the coronavirus (COVID-19) AstraZeneca vaccine, at the National Arena, on Saturday (March 27). Ms. Knight was the oldest person to receive the vaccine, at the Government’s first coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination blitz. “I didn’t know she gave me any. I was looking for her...

Another 50,000 Jamaicans are to benefit from cash grants under the Government’s COVID-19 Allocation of Resources for Employees (CARE) Programme, which will continue with a further allotment of $3 billion in the 2021/22 budget. This was noted by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, as he piloted the Appropriations...

The Disaster Risk Management (Amendment) Act, 2021, which will strengthen enforcement measures relating to the management of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, was approved in the Senate on Friday (March 26). The Bill seeks to amend the Disaster Risk Management Act to introduce a specific enforceable system of sanctions against persons who breach the public health protocols. Leader of Government Business...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says that approximately 30,000 doses of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine have been administered so far. “We (had) about 64,000 doses so we are just about at the half-way mark and so we will continue to administer what we have. We do expect a shipment (of) 26,000 doses in early April,...