Man steals COVID vaccine igloo

An igloo which is used for the storage of COVID-19 vaccines at inoculation sites was stolen in rural St Catherine last week.

The incident happened on the grounds of Tacius Golding High School, which was being used as a vaccination centre.

"Yes, this man stole an empty igloo, it was quite scary actually," said Dr Francia Prosper-Chen, medical officer of health for St Catherine.

The igloos are critical for the storage of vaccines. They are designed with ice pack slats to regulate the temperature of the vaccines.

The police have confirmed that an investigation is under way in a case of larceny, which was committed about 3:30 p.m. last Saturday. Reports are that the suspect, who sports a dreadlocks hairstyle, went inside the school, grabbed the igloo and ran through the school gate, escaping into the nearby wooded area.

"I was so frighten, I couldn't move," Tashane Beadle, a resident, said. "Him really run fast, but the police should have been here as it could have been a child him assault."

Prosper-Chen said the incident has been reported to the police and is being treated as a serious act.

"We will now be having police presence to secure the facilities at all future blitz. This is the way forward as we are going to have more of such blitz in the rural areas of St Catherine."

Tacius Golding High is located in St Catherine West Central, a constituency which is represented in Parliament by Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton.