KINGSTON, Jamaica — Director of Family Health Services Dr Melody Ennis, is urging parents to facilitate their children getting vaccinated as the Government moves to protect children against the deadly COVID-19 virus.

The Ministry of Health and Wellness official said while there is no written consent from parents, wherever the process is taking place, the children will be “inoculated, that has been our tradition”.

“This vaccine will prevent them from becoming severely ill… we are confident that parents will agree and come along with their children to be vaccinated,” she said, while speaking at a virtual COVID Conversation yesterday.

Adding that some children have underlying conditions, Dr Ennis said specific groups of children will be targeted, once the Pfizer vaccine is on the island.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that the Pfizer vaccine can be used for children from age 12, against the novel coronavirus. Jamaica is set to get thousands of doses of the vaccine in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, with vaccine activities being intensified across the island, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jacquiline Bisasor-McKenzie, is reminding individuals who have contracted the COVID-19 virus to ensure that their symptoms are resolved, and they complete their 14-day isolation period before taking the vaccine. She added that where they have suspicion that they might have the illness, they should get tested.

“We encourage persons to come out and take the vaccine, [but] if you are ill, wait until your symptoms have subsided, your isolation is finished, or come and get tested,” she told the forum.