The Ministry of Health and Wellness has opened up availability of the Pfizer vaccine for first and second doses for Jamaicans 50 years, effective yesterday (November 16).
The move amends previous instructions that the Pfizer vaccine only be made available for children 12- 18 in order to enable the nation’s youngest citizens to get back to school.
Yesterday Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton indicated that the country currently has an adequate supply of Pfizer doses to allow the change in approach.
This should result in an increase in the vaccination rate as Jamaicans have for some time shown far less hesitancy to be vaccinated with Pfizer than other brands.
Last month, the island received 145,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in two deliveries – 100,620 purchased from the COVAX Facility and 45,630gifted by the Government of Suriname.
ASTRAZENECA, JOHNSON & JOHNSON FOR PERSONS 18 AND OLDER
To become vaccinated, members of the public are encouraged to make an appointment using the Ministry of Health & Wellness’s website (www.moh.gov.jm) or by calling the National Vaccination Call Centre at 888-ONE-LOVE (888-663-5683). Persons should take a government-issued identification (school ID for students) or letter from a Justice of the Peace and their vaccination card to their appointments.
The ministry, in the meantime, said it was continuing to administer the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to persons 18 years and older.
“Members of the public are encouraged to get vaccinated to protect themselves from severe illness, hospitalisation and/or death associated with COVID-19,” the ministry added.
Up to 5:00 pm on Tuesday, a total of 1,058,139 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine had been administered. Of that number, 572,497 were first doses, 420,638 were second doses and 60,974 were single dose.
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