TRELAWNY, Jamaica – The Trelawny and Westmoreland Health Departments have confirmed that they will be participating in the island wide vaccination blitz over the weekend.

Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had named some 23 sites across twelve parishes that will be participating in the exercise. The two parishes that were left out are Trelawny and Westmoreland, which fall under the management of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA).

However, the medical officer of health for Westmoreland, Dr Marcia Graham, said the Savanna-la-Mar Health Centre will be offering the vaccine on Saturday between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.

Similarly in Trelawny, Dr Diane Dale said Falmouth, Duncans and Wait-A-Bit health centres will be inoculating people between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on Saturday.

The other three centres under the WRHA named that will be opened to the public for first or second dose inoculation are, Sandals Inn and the Montego Bay Type Five Health Centre in St James and the Lucea Health Centre in Hanover.

The minister had stated that while appointments are preferred, people showing up unannounced to be inoculated will be facilitated.

The public is asked to make their appointments online at www.moh.gov.jm or call the Vaccination Call Centre at 888-ONE-LOVE (888-663-5683). Upon receipt of their appointment confirmation, they are to visit their vaccination site on time and with their TRN and government-issued identification or letter from a Justice of the Peace.

Up to 9:00 am on Friday, the island’s vaccination numbers were up to 393,863. Of that number, 258,466 were first doses, 134,462-second doses and 935 single doses.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health and Wellness figures for Thursday have shown that the parishes of St James had recorded 81 new cases of the virus, Westmoreland 47; Trelawny 42 and Hanover 35.

Anthony Lewis