Gov’t Plans To Undertake New Vaccination Campaign

The Government plans to embark on a new vaccination campaign to increase public confidence in and uptake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines.

Addressing the House of Representatives on Tuesday (January 25), Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said that the Government recognises that there remains a high level of misinformation in the public domain regarding the vaccines.

“The Government has not given up on the vaccination programme. We will come with another public health vaccination campaign. We recognise it is going to take time to convince Jamaicans; unfortunately, many of them have consumed the nonsense that is being circulated all around social media. It’s quite unfortunate and many have died,” he lamented.

The Prime Minister noted that vaccine hesitancy has resulted in persons contracting the virus.

“I am personally aware of a case where… the son, because of his beliefs, would not take his father to get vaccinated. His father contracted the disease and died. There are many cases like that… those actions have social consequences. They create the demand for hospital beds that deprive other people [of other treatments] that they need,” he said.

“Now, if it is that that is your personal choice, then protect your father, protect yourself. We are moving ahead, we are in the endemic phase of the pandemic, this thing is going to be with us, and we are transitioning out of it. We are moving on as a country,” he added.

The Prime Minister urged Jamaicans to exercise personal responsibility. He encouraged them to adhere to the guidelines under the Disaster Risk Management Act, as well as wearing masks, washing hands or sanitising, maintaining physical distance, strengthening the immune system through proper diet and exercise, and getting vaccinated.

Jamaica has administered approximately 1,288,073 doses of COVID vaccines, to date.