KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams says she is pleased with the support received from students, teachers, parents, health workers, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the general public for the recent vaccination blitz

Approximately 27,000 students and roughly 56,000 people overall were vaccinated over the past four days — a record for any vaccination blitz in Jamaica.

Williams said her ministry quickly responded when it was advised that the Pfizer vaccines would be arriving on the island last week Thursday and activated its regional teams, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, mobilising one of the swiftest vaccination campaigns thus far.

“I am very pleased to see the response from the public and especially the response to our appeal to get children 12 years and older vaccinated to better enable us to resume face-to-face classes in the new school year. Tuesday’s record 21,000 persons getting vaccinated is very encouraging,” Williams said.

The ministry urged people, especially those in the education sector who have not yet done so, to take advantage of the opportunity and get themselves vaccinated.

Students have a 21-day lead time between this first dose and the second dose and Williams sought to remind the public that the sooner more people get vaccinated, the sooner full resumption of face-to-face classes can begin based on the advisories from the Ministry of Health and Wellness.