Health Minister Again Pleads With Jamaicans To Get Vaccinated

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is again imploring Jamaicans to get vaccinated, especially in light of the fourth wave of the coronavirus (COVID-19), from which the more contagious Omicron variant has emerged.

Speaking at a virtual COVID Conversations press briefing, on Thursday (January 6), he reminded that mainly unvaccinated persons are being hospitalised with severe illness or dying from the virus.

“We need to continue to emphasise to Jamaicans that the persons who are most affected by COVID-19, irrespective of the strain, whether it’s Delta or otherwise, are persons who are not vaccinated, and it is a sobering message to those who are not that you are in increased danger and you should make every effort to get vaccinated,” he warned.

Dr. Tufton noted that as predicted, the fourth wave of the pandemic is now being experienced in Jamaica, evidenced by the increase in COVID-19 cases over the last two weeks.

“In the last 24 hours, Jamaica hit an undesirable record of 1,128 new COVID-19 infections since the first case was discovered close to two years ago. It’s the most in any given day in keeping with the fourth wave,” he said.

The Minister stressed that the elderly, in particular, and those who are immunocompromised and/or who are living with a chronic illness, such as diabetes and hypertension, are being encouraged to get vaccinated.

He noted that more than 250 vaccination outlets are in place across the island and that booster shots are on offer at permanent vaccination sites.

“Vaccines are available. We have vaccines in stock; vaccines that are safely stored…all the brands – AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sinopharm and Johnson and Johnson. We had a little issue with some of the logistics around the AstraZeneca a couple of days ago but that has been resolved and AstraZeneca should now be in the system right across the country. So, there is no excuse. Visit your parish health office or call the 888-ONE-LOVE (663-5683) number.

In her remarks, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, noted that the country is “in the first part of the fourth wave”, which started about the 20th of December, 2021.

Dr. Bisasor-McKenzie reiterated that the best protection against COVID-19 is still vaccination.

“Vaccination is offering a very high level of protection to our population and it is best to be vaccinated now,” she emphasised.

She further pointed out that 98.5 per cent of persons who have died from COVID-19 have been unvaccinated. Between the 1st of March 2021 and the 5th of January, 2022, there have been 1,953 COVID-19-related deaths.

The CMO further advised persons to continue to adhere to all the infection prevention and control measures to protect themselves from contracting the virus.

“You have to wear your mask; maintain physical distance (from others) in crowded spaces; wash your hands frequently or hand sanitise; stay home if you’re sick; and avoid unnecessary travel and unnecessary gatherings,” she implored.