Emerging deejay Gaps 7G is publicly endorsing the COVID-19 vaccine. The US-based artiste has already been inoculated. He took a photo of his vaccination card and his rolled-up sleeve to show his support for the vaccination drive in New York.

He got his jab on Tuesday during a vaccination drive at York College in Queens, New York.

“I made up my mind to be one of the first people to get my vaccine shot. Mi have the second one fi get in a month time, and mi just a gwaan mask up and do the right ting till then,” he said.

As COVID-19 vaccines begin to reach more countries, a sense of hope is developing around the world that the worst of the pandemic may soon be over.

“It is a lack of knowledge why people are afraid, but the more people get it, the more the world can open up. The smart move is to get the vaccine. We have to get rid of the lack of public confidence in the vaccine which is the best hope to eradicate this COVID-19 virus that has killed 1.7 million people around the world,” Gaps 7G said.

Locally, the health ministry aims to vaccinate 17,050 people during the first week of vaccinations, which began on Wednesday.

This first phase of vaccinations is being offered to front-line health workers, the security forces, vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, parliamentarians, customs and correctional personnel, and institutionalised individuals. Fifty thousand doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, a gift from India, arrived in the island on Monday.

In Jamaica, many people are sceptical of the COVID-19 vaccine given the relative speed at which it was developed, while others continue to believe false claims that the virus is not real or that immunisations are used to harm or control people. But Gaps is not worried.

“As an artiste, we have a responsibility fi tell the public the right thing, plus we ah go need the vaccine to be able to travel all over the world to perform and dem ting deh. Bounty and Shaggy endorse it and mi ah do the same,” he said.

Last week, Bounty Killer joined Shaggy’s pro-vaccine stance as he took to Instagram to urge his fans to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Gaps 7G (given name Paul Cardoza Jr) is known for songs including Di Benz remix featuring Rytikal and Do Di Right Thing. He grew up in Gutters, Old Harbour, St Catherine, before migrating to the United States at age 10. He acquired an associate degree in liberal arts, majoring in physical education.

Although he is based in New York, Gaps 7G regularly returns to Jamaica to promote his songs, and he will be amping up promotion on Classic and another banger called A Fi Mi Place.

“I am coming back to Jamaica this month to push the promotion of my new songs to the next level,” he said.