Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director, Dr. Carissa Etienne, has underscored the need for member countries to safeguard the welfare of their most vulnerable populations in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and place the region on a path to recovery. Among the most vulnerable groups, she noted, are women and individuals with underlying health conditions. Dr....

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says self-quarantine at home will become part of the new way of life as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. "The reality is that in the future, home quarantining will become the norm rather than the exception, and in a sense, we are gradually moving in...

The Government is thinking about building a new health facility on the grounds of one of the country's existing hospitals, instead of going ahead with its plan to set up a 72-bed field hospital at the National Arena in Kingston. Responding to questions at the weekly COVID-19 Conversations virtual press conference at the Ministry of Health and Wellness in Kingston...

Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) Governor, Richard Byles, says the anticipated gradual recovery of economic activity from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is expected to result in improvements in the current account deficit of the balance of payments (BOP). He was speaking at the Central Bank’s digital quarterly press conference held on Wednesday (May 20). Mr. Byles noted that due...

Jamaica is getting additional funding from the European Union (EU) to respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic through an €8-million grant for regional countries. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, told JIS News that the funds have been approved and will be channelled through the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and Jamaica has...

The Westmoreland Health Department has embarked on a public education campaign to promote the sustained wearing of masks among fisherfolk and operators of bike taxis as part of measures to contain transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the parish. Westmoreland accounts for two of the island’s 529 cases of the virus, to date. Health Promotion and Education Officer, Gerald Miller,...

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says Jamaica is finalising its Living with COVID-19 Plan as the country makes the transition to a new normal brought on by the global pandemic. Dr. Tufton was addressing the digital meeting of the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday, May 18. He noted that although Jamaica’s interventions surrounding...