MINISTRY PRIORITISES PERSONS 50 AND OVER FOR SECOND DOSE OF VACCINE

Min. Christopher Tufton

The Ministry of Health and Wellness will be prioritising persons 50 years and over for the second dose of the AstraZeneca coronavirus (COVID) vaccine as the blitz events resume this Saturday (June 19).

The vaccination blitz activities will be held at 22 sites across nine parishes and will continue at some locations until Tuesday, June 22. The parishes include St. James, Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, Portland, and St. Mary.  

The full list of parishes and vaccination sites will be posted by the Ministry.

Portfolio Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, who was addressing  the virtual COVID Conversations press conference on Thursday (June 17), said that focus will be placed on persons 50 years and older who are scheduled to receive their second dose of the vaccine. 

“We have to focus on the most vulnerable and the most vulnerable by age would be 50 and older. The second dose has to be a priority based on availability, and so we have to give to those who require it,” he said.

He noted that contact will be made to schedule second-dose appointments for persons who are due.

Dr. Tufton informed that as at June 16, a total of 49,084 persons had received their second dose of the vaccine.

 “We are now at 217,842 doses as at the end of yesterday (June 16), which means we are making progress,” he said.

Director of Family Health Services in the Ministry, Dr. Melody Ennis, said that persons will be contacted via text message or phone call regarding their appointment.

Persons are reminded to take along a government-issued identification or a letter from a Justice of the Peace and the vaccination card that was issued when they received the first dose.