KINGSTON, Jamaica— In an effort to get more of the Jamaican population vaccinated against COVID-19, a call has been made to allow doctors to administer the jab to their patients.

General practitioner, Dr Arna Morgan from Doctors4Change JA, told OBSERVER ONLINE that many patients have reported that they will only take the vaccine if it is administered by their physicians.

The call comes after approximately 60,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine expired last month, because of a slow vaccination take-up by Jamaicans.

“Some patients are holding out and saying they will only take the vaccine from their own trusted doctors,” Dr Morgan said. “Every patient should be able to obtain a vaccine shot from their private doctor.”

Dr Morgan, who is a senior member of the Caribbean College of Family Physicians and the Association of General Practitioners, argued that many doctors have offices and small private clinics where patients can be routinely vaccinated. She said physicians should be able to schedule 10 or 20 patients and bring them in for vaccination once per week or once a month, depending on the size of the practice.

Dr Melody Ennis, Director of Family Health Services in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, told OBSERVER ONLINE that the ministry has been pondering the suggestion. “It is something that has been under consideration,” she said, declining to give further details.

–David Dunkley