Vaccination Jamaica’s Way Out Of Pandemic – PM
By: , September 27, 2021
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (left, standing), engages with public health nurses, during a coronavirus (CoVID-19) vaccination blitz at the Pembroke Hall community centre in St. Andrew Northwest on Friday (September 24). He was accompanied by Minister of Finance and the Public Service and St. Andrew Northwest Member of Parliament, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke (centre, standing); and Councillor for the Chancery Hall Division, Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation, Dwayne Smith. In the background is Commanding Officer for the Duhaney Park Police Station, Deputy Superintendent Coleridge Minto.
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (2nd left), converses with Ministry of Health and Wellness medical officer, Dr. Schauna-Gay Morris (left), during a coronavirus (CoVID-19) vaccination blitz at the Pembroke Hall community centre in St. Andrew Northwest on Friday (September 24). Looking on is Minister of Finance and the Public Service and St. Andrew Northwest Member of Parliament, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke (2nd right).
Photo: Donald De La Haye
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, bumps elbows with Pembroke Hall resident, Shelly-Ann Young, after she received her coronavirus (CoVID-19) vaccine on Friday (September 24), during a CoVID-19 vaccination blitz at the Pembroke Hall community centre in St. Andrew Northwest.The Full Story
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, says vaccination against the coronavirus (CoVID-19) represents Jamaica’s way out of the pandemic.
He noted that while measures such as curfews and lockdowns have served to slow virus transmission, these cannot be imposed indefinitely.
Mr. Holness said that Jamaica’s challenge with the pandemic is further compounded by persons, who want the measures discontinued, but are unwilling to be vaccinated.
“Some of the very people who are saying ‘no more lockdowns’… are saying ‘we are not taking the vaccine’.
“You have persons who are at a point where they [say they] are fatigued and frustrated, and don’t want to comply with the measures, yet they don’t want to take the very thing that will bring the pandemic to an end,” he lamented.
Prime Minister Holness was addressing a CoVID-19 community vaccination blitz in Pembroke Hall, St. Andrew Northwest on Friday (September 24), as part of his vaccine mobilisation and public education campaign, aimed at engaging the population in dialogue and encouraging greater take-up of the vaccines.
He was accompanied by Minister of Finance and the Public Service and Member of Parliament for the area, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, among other stakeholders.
Mr. Holness said that during the visit “we stopped on several corners, and I met some persons, some of whom had genuine objections [about the vaccines] while others were very eager to find out where to go and take the vaccines. We went into great detail about vaccination and the impact of the lockdowns [and other CoVID-19 containment measures], and I believe that we have [had a positive] impact,” he told journalists.
He said that the Government will continue to engage the public in dialogue, “reasoning with you, talking with you, and trying to allay your fears and concerns.”
“At the same time [we urge] you… please, take the vaccine and go out and become ambassadors for vaccination,” the Prime Minister added.
In his remarks, Dr. Clarke pointed out that vaccination has a network effect.
“Vaccines serve the individual, if one person is vaccinated. But vaccines serve the country if hundreds of thousands of people are vaccinated. When we do that, Jamaica will recover stronger,” he said.
Over 700,000 Jamaicans have received at least one dose of the CoVID-19 vaccines.