KINGSTON, Jamaica— Jamaica could be on the UK Government’s next green list when Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives an update on June 24.

The green list are countries with low COVID-19 rates and which have a high percentage of the population vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.

According to the online publication, MyLondon, Jamaica, which is now on the amber list, is a good candidate to give the green light despite a low vaccination rate, as the country has one of the lowest infection rate of 14.4 per cent per 100,000.

Jamaica’s placement on the green list would be great news for the country’s ailing tourism industry which took a battering from the novel coronavirus.

Among other countries listed among the top 10 to move to the green list, where British holidaymakers will be free to vacation this summer are:

Malta, which has a case rate of seven per cent, but has three quarters of its population vaccinated.

Canary Islands, whose COVID rate is 38.4 per cent, but a vaccination rate of 47.8 per cent.

Germany, which has a virus rate of 24.5 per cent, and a jab rate of 46.7 per cent.

Italy, with a virus rate of 27.5 per cent, and which has given single doses of the vaccine 45.4 per cent of its population.

Mexico, which has an infection rate of 16.1 per cent and given single doses of the two-shot vaccine to 19.1 per cent of its huge population of 130.2 million.

Also among the 10 are the United States with a virus rate of 31 per cent; and Finland, which has seen it virus infection rate falling from 25 per cent to 14.4 per cent, and which has vaccinated 48.8 per cent of its population.

Pete Sankey