KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, is reminding that persons are still being impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19), and stressed that vaccination is crucial.

The state minister said since the virus was discovered in Jamaica in March 2020, 717,212 persons have received a first dose; 616,974 received a second dose; 124,397 received the single-dose vaccine; immunocompromised doses are at 4,890, and 40,890 persons have taken booster shots.

She said while the infection rates are decreasing, Jamaicans should be “cognisant that COVID-19 is still in full effect, and we must continue to take the necessary precautions to protect ourselves and our loved ones until the pandemic ends”.

The state minister was speaking at the National Chest Hospital in St Andrew, recently.

Cuthbert-Flynn used the occasion to laud healthcare workers across the island who are at the “forefront of saving lives daily”, especially during the pandemic, and noted that “we still have vaccines available, and we should use them, so that we can recover faster”.

She pointed out that the ministry is being strategic with long-term planning for the public health system, as “we could have another pandemic, and we must be proactive and put the necessary measures in place”.

– JIS