Vaccines Promoted At TPDCo Event
By: , February 26, 2022
Photo: Okoye Henry
St. James’ Parish Health, Promotion and Education Officer, Julian Grandison Mullings (right), and Human Resource Clerk at Holiday Inn Resort, Shantae Miller, demonstrate an elbow bump as an alternative to a handshake in keeping with COVID-19 safety protocols. This was during Tourism Product Development Company’s first in a series of sensitisation sessions to promote COVID-19 protocols and vaccination, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall on Friday (February 25).
Photo: Okoye Henry
St. James’ Parish Health, Promotion and Education Officer, Julian Grandison Mullings, addressing participants during the Tourism Product Development Company’s first in a series of sensitisation sessions to promote COVID-19 protocols and vaccination, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall on Friday (February 25).The Full Story
The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) on Friday (February 25) kicked off a series of COVID-19 protocols and vaccination sensitisation sessions in Montego Bay, St. James.
The event, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall and streamed as well, targeted local tourism stakeholders such as hotel staff, tour bus operators and craft traders.
Participants were resensitised on existing COVID-19 safety protocols that remain in effect even as restrictions are relaxed. They were also encouraged to get vaccinated and get their booster shots.
Parish Health, Promotion and Education Officer, Julian Grandison Mullings, in her address indicated that the Ministry of Health and Wellness currently has boosters available for AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines.
“Now at this stage in the pandemic, we have boosters and the boosters serve to really help your system along,” Mrs. Mullings outlined.
“The booster sort of helps the original doses to push it a little further to give it a better coverage,” she added.
Mrs. Mullings said for the AstraZeneca, the booster is administered six months after the last dose, whereas for the Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines, it is administered two months after the last dose.
In the meantime, Mrs. Mullings stated that four vaccines are currently offered in Jamaica – AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer.
“We started with the AstraZeneca, and that vaccine is a two-dose vaccine… administered eight to 12 weeks apart. Then we have the Pfizer [and] it also is a two-dose vaccine, and that one is administered three weeks apart,” Mrs. Mullings explained.
“We ended up with the Johnson and Johnson, a one-dose. The Johnson and Johnson is a one-dose so once you get that dose you are considered fully vaccinated. Then in November [2021] we got the Sinopharm that came from China. That too is a two-dose vaccine and is administered three to four weeks apart,” he added.
Mrs. Mullings said the COVID-19 vaccines are “safe and effective” and will save lives. She is urging tourism-sector workers, as well as the general public, to get inoculated so Jamaica can get back to a place of normality.