KINGSTON, Jamaica— Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, says the government regrets the ”inconveniences” over the past two weeks caused by a shortage in the country’s vaccine supply.

Speaking on Thursday at the ministry’s weekly COVID-19 press briefing, Tufton said that uncertainties about the country’s vaccine supply led to restrictions being passed on the categories of people who could receive their second doses.

”We regret the inconveniences, the frustrations the anger that all of this caused. But the truth is the conditions were out of our control. Vaccines are difficult to come by and it’s not a Jamaica problem, it’s a worldwide problem,” he said.

However, the minister noted that Government had announced ”a month or two before, that June would be a challenging month based on the projections and supply uncertainties.”

Jamaica this week received 65,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the Mexican Government.

The ministry said that as of June 30, approximately 261,267 Jamaicans have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, with 174,110 people having received only their first dose and 87,157 receiving their second dose.