Jamaica to get some of 25 million vaccine doses from the United States

Jamaica to get the benefit of the 25 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as a donation from the Government of the United States. These vaccines have been deployed globally.

Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said that the representatives of the Jamaican government had a discussion with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with other officials, and they gave assurances that the region would be provided with vaccine at a specific point in time.

She also told Jamaica would be part of the Latin America and Caribbean region, where that has been anticipated that by the end of this month (June), some distribution would have started.

Johnson Smith said that Jamaica had also participated in discussions that have been arranged through the Caribbean Community in relation to securing supplies from the initial 25 million vaccine doses.     

Johnson Smith stated that they had not yet had a confirmed quantity. But they have continued to liaise as they work out the different formulas that they had used, on guidance from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPH), taking into consideration the rate of transmission which has been taking place in the various islands.

Against this background, Johnson Smith said the government has been very much appreciative of the level of assistance that would be extended by their US counterpart.

During this meeting, Jamaica’s government took a decision to make the COVID-19 protocols strictly obeyed. PM of Jamaica Andrew Holness also supported this decision and also said that if the diaspora wants to see some leniency in the measures, it should encourage the Jamaicans sitting at homes to get vaccinated and get safe from the COVID-19 vaccine. These statements were made by PM Holness while addressing the Jamaica Diaspora Sustainability Symposium virtually and members of the diaspora.

Holness said that the diaspora could be very helpful to them in their direct communication with their family members to encourage Jamaicans who have hesitated to take the vaccine