No timeline for COVID-19 vaccines

Despite initial reports that the AstraZeneca and COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) doses would have touched Jamaican shores by mid- February, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) is now unable to say when we will receive the first batch.

"Not until we know for sure that there is a shipment on its way or being packed before we speak with any definitive position to the public or give specific dates," Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said while speaking at a virtual press conference yesterday.

Tufton said Jamaica has only made provisions to accept vaccines from COVAX and AstraZeneca India, which are approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Pan American Health Organization.

"While they are many vaccines out there, we as a country has always said once it is not signed off by the WHO expert group, go through all the clinical trials, and the data is studied and the vaccine is deemed safe, we would not be comfortable bringing the vaccine to Jamaica," he said.

Jamaica has already signed off on a quantity of vaccines through COVAX for 450,000 Jamaicans. Tufton, however, did not mention how much of the vaccines were expected from AstraZeneca India.

"Even for those countries that have large sums have committed to purchasing but there are no vaccines to purchase and Jamaica is not immune to that and a lot of smaller countries are also suffering," said Tufton, adding that there is a high demand for vaccine, which is also hindering arrivals to Jamaica.

The minister acknowledged the MOHW's liability in seemingly misleading the public about vaccines' arrival, but said he spoke based on correspondence he had received from distributors.

Be more agile

He added: "In the meantime, there is no substitute for the protocols in place for COVID. They have served us well and I want to encourage the country to not allow discussions around the vaccine to make us complacent."

Meanwhile, Opposition spokesperson on Health Dr Morais Guy says the MOHW needs to be more agile in making plans for the distribution of the vaccines.

"The Government has not come to say what are the steps that will be taken as it relates to the administration of the vaccine and we need answers on behalf of Jamaicans who are asking questions. We need for the people to be told where they are going to get the vaccine etc, because all of this is important and we still haven't seen a timetable of what the logistics will be for the roll-out," said Guy

"They need to identify the persons who are going to get the vaccine first. We have been told the persons over 60 with comorbid conditions but as far as we are concerned these persons are culled from the public health system so what about those who go to the private practitioners? And we don't know if 'John Brown' who lives in the hills has been contacted to say that he is over 60 and this is what will be happening with him," he added.