KINGSTON, Jamaica — Influential general surgeon Dr Alfred Dawes has denied that he voiced a message going viral in a voice note, and has denounced the anti-vaccination rhetoric that is being spread.

Dr Dawes cleared the air today, noting that he in fact received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in March, is confident in it, and is looking forward to his second dose.

“There is a voice note going around pretending to be me… nothing in that voice note reflects what I believe or what I recommend with respect to the vaccine,” he said.

“The vaccines are safe, they are not an experiment, they have been tested and proven. The technology is new but we have to embrace new technology…,” he added.

“Take the vaccine, decrease your chance of ending up in hospital. Do not buy into the fake news. The vaccine is something I fully endorse,” he urged.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness last night announced that over 100,000 Jamaicans had received their first dose of the vaccine as of yesterday, after it hosted a series of vaccine blitzes islandwide.

At the same time, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says the Government will be redoubling its efforts to push back against anti-vaccination crusaders, who continue to affect the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Dr Tufton argued that much of the hesitancy by Jamaicans towards the COVID-19 vaccine is due to misinformation, like that shared in voice notes, which the ministry intends to surmount with greater public awareness.