Tag: vaccination

Meetings, speeches – and by the way, our fifth wave of COVID-19

May 28, 2022

Jamaica’s Health and Wellness Minister Christopher Tufton and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie have been very busy recently in Geneva, Switzerland, where the 75th World Health Assembly took place, ending on May 28. They have been talking a great deal about non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which as we know are rampant on the island – … More Meetings, speeches – and by the way, our fifth wave of COVID-19

Mixed COVID-19 signals? Omicron BA.2 variant is in Jamaica, and there are questions about timing

April 22, 2022

I had asked whether we are “over” COVID-19 in Jamaica, since as of April 15 all remaining restrictions related to the pandemic have lapsed – including travel restrictions and mandatory mask wearing indoors. Well, we are not quite over it, after all. I think we could have seen this one coming. Or did we know … More Mixed COVID-19 signals? Omicron BA.2 variant is in Jamaica, and there are questions about timing

COVID-19 updates from Jamaica (January 8, 2022)

January 9, 2022

As Omicron is flying around the world at lightning speed, so it is in Jamaica. The problem with our island, though, is that the vast majority of our population is not vaccinated (close to 80 percent) despite vaccines being widely available (that is, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinopharm). According to the Reuters Coronavirus … More COVID-19 updates from Jamaica (January 8, 2022)

COVID-19 in Jamaica: boosting, testing, vaccinating, and the Fourth Wave

December 22, 2021

We got our booster shots this week. Our regular vaccination centre was bursting at the seams, so we drove down the road apiece to St. Joseph’s Hospital. As far as getting a needle stuck in your arm can be a pleasant experience – it really was! We sat under a big, airy tent on the … More COVID-19 in Jamaica: boosting, testing, vaccinating, and the Fourth Wave

House to house vaccination starts in Jamaica

October 25, 2021

Our health workers have been putting in the hours. Who can deny this – they have been dedicated, hard-working and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude. The United Nations in Jamaica decided to recognize them by encouraging government and private sector buildings to “light up blue” in recognition of the efforts of our … More House to house vaccination starts in Jamaica

Jamaica’s vaccine sites for the Heroes’ Day holiday weekend: October 16 to 18, 2021

October 16, 2021

“Be a Hero” is the slogan the Ministry of Health and Wellness has adopted for this weekend’s vaccination blitz. The all-island vaccination drive takes place Saturday, October 16 to Heroes Day on Monday October 18, 2021 with 90 vaccination sites set to open throughout the period. The Heroes Weekend vaccination thrust comes as the Ministry … More Jamaica’s vaccine sites for the Heroes’ Day holiday weekend: October 16 to 18, 2021

PSOJ urges a unified approach in the vaccination effort

October 15, 2021

The Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) is sounding a little exasperated, and who can blame them? I attended a press briefing by the Ministry of Health and Wellness this evening (surprisingly, very poorly attended by the media), and came away with the feeling that we are plodding along, doing more of the same – … More PSOJ urges a unified approach in the vaccination effort

Jamaica to lead PAHO Directing Council meeting

September 19, 2021

Our Ministry of Health and Wellness team, headed by Minister Christopher Tufton, has been selected to head an important meeting of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a branch of the World Health Organization. This is impressive (but, I suspect, a lot more work for Minister Tufton & Co., as if they didn’t have enough … More Jamaica to lead PAHO Directing Council meeting