Though elderly citizens have been identified as a priority group in the first phase of Jamaica’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, some local golden age homes have indicated they have yet to get word from Government on how their residents will be accommodated.

After Jamaica’s receipt of 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Monday (March 8) – and with inoculation efforts slated to begin on Wednesday (March 10) – homes with which Our Today spoke today reported, with concern, having received no contact from Ministry of Health and Wellness officials about the process to have appointments scheduled for their residents.

Jennifer Shirley, registered nurse and operator of the Moravian Golden Age Home in St Andrew, said she was surprised that she has yet to hear from the health ministry.

NO RESULTS YET FOR TESTED WORKERS

On whether she had received any updates from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, under whose jurisdiction golden age homes fall, Shirley said her only communication with the ministry took place months ago when the home was approached to have 13 of its 17 workers tested for COVID-19. Those results have yet to be received.

It was not immediately clear, however, whether the lack of communication with the Moravian home was due to the facility being privately owned and calls to Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton went to voicemail.

Tufton also did not respond to WhatsApp messages requesting comment.

At the same time, the administrator of a home in Portmore, St Catherine, said the only contact she had received from health ministry officials was for vaccination sensitisation and not around scheduling of inoculations.