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Prime Minister Holness Appeals For More Jamaicans To Take COVID-19 Vaccine

Jamaica's Prime Minister, Andrew Holness (right), listens as Captain of the Jamaica III Utility Vessel, Hugh Helps, highlights some of the features of the vessel’s engine room, during the commissioning and christening ceremony, held at Newport East, Kingston, on August 11. Photo credit: Yhomo Hutchinson/JIS.

Prime Minister Holness Appeals For More Jamaicans To Take COVID-19 Vaccine

KINGSTON, Jamaica Thursday, August 12, 2021 — With the increased supply of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in the island, Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, is, again, appealing for more Jamaicans to get inoculated.

“We are not quite at 10 percent of the population fully vaccinated, but we are heading there.  We have enough vaccines now, and enough vaccines scheduled to come; please go out and take the vaccines,” he urged.

He was speaking during the commissioning and christening of the Jamaica III Utility Vessel at the Port Authority of Jamaica, Newport East, yesterday.

The Prime Minister is encouraging the management and staff of public sector entities, as well as the wider population, to take the vaccine, in a bid to protect themselves, their loved ones, and others, and also preserve livelihoods.

He said he sought to set an example, early in the vaccination program, by coming forward to take the jab.

“We started out first, by ensuring that our [age] 60 and over, and our frontline workers got the vaccine and then, when my time came, I was first in line. I took the vaccine and I was hoping that having taken the vaccine, I would then see a lot of other persons following [suit],” he said.

Holness noted, that while some persons have received the jab, more individuals need to do the same.

Up to Sunday (August 8), approximately 374,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered. Of that figure, 240,696 represented first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 131,632, second doses.

The Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine was also administered to 885 individuals, who participate in various sporting activities.

The country remains on track to receive 1.4 million doses of vaccines up to the end of September, and the government is looking to vaccinate 700,000 persons, by the end of next month, and 65 percent of the population by 2022.

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