Adding to the island’s comprehensive response

to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Governor-General of Jamaica Sir

Patrick Allen has declared Friday (March 20) through to Sunday (March 22) as

National Days of Prayer.

The Governor-General, in his declaration on

Thursday (March 19), said the prayer vigil begins at 6:00 pm this evening, ending

at 6:00 pm on Sunday and will be led by the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches

(JUGC).

“I, Patrick Linton Allen, do hereby declare

proclaim that from 6:00 pm Friday March [20] to 6:00 pm Sunday March [22] be

observed as National Days of Prayer and Fasting,” he wrote.

Allen urged all Jamaicans to support, as fully

as possible, “the call to prayer, for the healing of our land and the peace of

the world.”

The Governor-General said that the two-day

exercise would be focused on prayers for the containment and eradication of

COVID-19 as well as healing for those so infected and a possible cure/vaccine

for the pandemic.

Combatting economic fallout; the protection

of medical professionals, the security forces and other frontline workers;

safety for the poor, needy, elderly and vulnerable groups; and all public- and

private-sector interests involved in the fight against the coronavirus will

also be covered in the prayer and fasting vigil.

Jamaica confirmed its first case of

COVID-19 last week Tuesday, March 10. The island, to date, has confirmed 16

instances of the disease with one 79-year-old man dying as a result of coronavirus-complications

on Wednesday, March 18.