Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dunstan Bryan has confirmed the ‘disappearance’ of a vial of AstraZeneca vaccines at the Cornwall Regional Hospital on Tuesday (March 16).

The Montego Bay-based hospital becomes arguably the first facility the Caribbean to report missing vaccines, with the most recent report in late January of jabs ‘disappearing’ in St Petersberg, Florida.

Preliminary reports indicate that a vial holds ten doses of the coronavirus vaccine, potentially inoculating five persons.

With 64,400 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine arriving on the island as of Monday, March 15, there have already been concerns of persons jumping the queue for inoculation.

The health ministry’s vaccination plan requires that healthcare workers, members of the security forces and elderly Jamaicans be vaccinated first, however, there have been widespread claims of powerful interests getting the shot ahead of the primary group.

If the missing vial is confirmed to be stolen, it would present another indication of a breakdown in the vaccination process long-heralded by the ministry.