Opposition Leader Mark Golding says he is pleased with the turnout of Jamaicans at COVID-19 vaccination centres across the island.

Golding indicated that, over the weekend, he toured vaccination sites such as Portmore Heart Academy, the National Arena and National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC).

He said the visits were used to show support for staff at the various sites while also bringing them needed supplies.

“I have been visiting vaccination centres, just to show my support for the staff there and for the people who have come out in large numbers I am happy to say, to be vaccinated,” Golding said.

“We visited the Portmore Heart Academy, which was one of the blitz sites on Saturday afternoon and we had a wonderful tour, seeing what was going on there and seeing the strong numbers of people who have come out to be vaccinated.

“Then this morning we toured the National Arena and the Indoor complex beside it, just to see what was going on and on both occasions, we delivered some bottled water for the staff who are giving such yeoman service to the people of Jamaica,” Golding stated.

He said he will be touring hospitals along with the Opposition Spokesperson on Health Dr Morais Guy and believes this will take place within days after the necessary arrangements have been made.

In the meantime, Golding continued to encourage Jamaicans to get vaccinated, saying he believed the current situation on the island is an indication of the severity of the virus.

“While vaccination is voluntary, I encourage all adults to take it and indeed, all students of 12 years and above to take it. Why, because the vaccine, while it will not prevent you necessarily from getting infected, it will save you from getting very sick, it will save you from hospitalisation and the possibility of death.

“Also, we need the population to be vaccinated, so that we do not propagate new variant strains of this COVID-19 virus, which is the way the world has to respond to the crisis to get it under control. So, for your own personal safety, I encourage you, like I did, to get vaccinated and encourage others to do so.”