Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne, says vaccination is “especially important” in countering the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as the strain “takes hold” in the region. Speaking during PAHO’s weekly digital COVID-19 media briefing on Wednesday (January 12), Dr. Etienne said while the Delta variant still sparks new infections in the Americas, based on...

Residents of Portmore Gardens in St. Catherine now have access to reliable Internet service as the Government continues to roll out free secured Wi-Fi hotspots across the island. The facility was installed by the Universal Service Fund (USF) at a cost of $7.5 million. Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Daniel Dawes, in his remarks at the launch of the...

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, is advising the public to remain at home and monitor themselves if they develop mild flu-like symptoms. “If symptoms worsen or persist beyond three days or you have chronic illnesses, then you should seek medical advice. This can be from your private practitioner, from the health centre or from the parish health department,”...

The Government has started the onboarding of 362 schools that are in close proximity to its fibre infrastructure. This was disclosed by Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, during a statement to the House of Representatives on January 11. Of the 362 schools, connectivity work has started in 43 schools and 30 schools have been fully connected. “For...

The Ministry of Education and Youth, through e-Learning Jamaica Limited, will be procuring 42,311 devices for lower primary and secondary students. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, said that eLearning Jamaica has already acquired 11,500 tablets and is preparing to start the distribution to lower secondary-school students in the rural schools across the island. “This will help to significantly reduce the...

The Ministry of Health & Wellness wishes to remind members of the public that if they develop mild flu-like symptoms they are to remain at home and monitor themselves, while observing the infection prevention and control measures. If symptoms worsen or persist beyond three days, then medical advice should be sought from a private doctor, a health centre or the...

The Ministry of Education and Youth will be rolling out its ‘Yard to Yard Find the Child’ Initiative, which is a national call to action to identify, locate and re-engage students. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Fayval Williams, said the initiative will run for three months from January to March 31, 2022. “Through this initiative, 580 youth workers under the HOPE programme...