Covid-19

Mandatory vaccination will become inevitable — PM 10:20 pm

FLORENCE HALL, Trelawny — While underscoring that he will not be forcing anyone to take the COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Andrew Holness yesterday said that mandatory vaccination will become unavoidable when a larger segment of the population becomes inoculated and demand that...

'Immunise… Save Lives' JN urges members, employees 8:30 pm
THE Jamaica National Group yesterday revealed it is gearing up to embark on a comprehensive drive to achieve full immunisation against COVID-19 among its more than 2,000 employees and, by extension, Jamaicans islandwide.

AG supports workplace vaccine mandates 7:20 pm
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte has sided with employers who have made vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for staff in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus. However, she made it clear that the Government's stance is that...

435 new COVID-19 cases in Jamaica, six more deaths

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica recorded 435 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths on Wednesday, bringing the infection total to 81,394 and the virus death toll to 1,809.

Lupus patients urged to get vaccinated

THE Lupus Foundation of Jamaica says a number of lupus patients are still holding off on being vaccinated against COVID-19 because they are waiting to have questions answered or to get permission from their doctors.

'The world must wake up'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — In person and on screen, world leaders returned to the United Nations' foremost gathering for the first time in the pandemic era yesterday with a formidable, diplomacy-packed agenda and a sharply worded warning from the international organisation's...

Biden says US donating 'historic' extra 500 million COVID vaccines

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden addressed a COVID-19 summit of world leaders Wednesday with a promise to donate a "historic" extra 500 million vaccines to countries struggling to overcome the pandemic.

JFF seeks Govt's permission to have vaccinated spectators for Oct 10 WC qualifier

THE Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) will seek the Government of Jamaica's permission to allow fully vaccinated spectators the opportunity to cheer on Jamaica's Reggae Boyz in their Concacaf World Cup qualification game at the National Stadium on Sunday, October 10.

Tufton stresses need for multilateral cooperation in COVID fight

Jamaica's Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton yesterday emphasised the importance of strengthening multilateral cooperation and addressing current weaknesses in the global public health system in order for countries to recover fully from the effects of...

COVID killed about as many Americans as Spanish flu

WASHINGTOIN, DC, United States (AP) — COVID-19 has now killed about as many Americans as the 1918-1919 Spanish flu pandemic did — approximately 675,000. And, like the worldwide scourge of a century ago, the novel coronavirus may never entirely disappear.

Cari-Med mandates employees be vaccinated or present 2-week negative COVID tests

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Employees at pharmaceutical company, Cari-Med Group, will soon be required to present proof that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or produce a negative PCR test, to be paid for out-of-pocket every two weeks, to maintain their status in the...

'Soul-crushing': US COVID-19 deaths are topping 1,900 a day

UNITED STATES (AP)— COVID-19 deaths in the US have climbed to an average of more than 1,900 a day for the first time since early March, with experts saying the virus is preying largely on a distinct group: 71 million unvaccinated Americans.

Visit a vaccination site for a second COVID jab, Health Ministry reminds

KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Ministry of Health and Wellness is reminding the more than 50,000 Jamaicans who will shortly be due their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine to visit a vaccination site for their jab.

Airline sector relieved over lifting of US travel ban

PARIS, France (AFP)— The United States' decision to lift restrictions on incoming travellers vaccinated against COVID-19 was met with a sigh of a relief by the global airline sector, which has been dealt a body blow by the pandemic.

Grenada announces new measures regarding the burial of people dying from COVID

ST GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC)— Grenada Monday announced new measures regarding the burial of people who have succumbed to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as the island deals with an “unprecedented” number of daily deaths from the pandemic since August.

PAHO Director wants regional countries to adopt 'one health policy' as she highlights COVID-19 challenges

WASHINGTON, United States (CMC)— The Pan American Health Organization's (PAHO) began its 59th Directing Council on Monday, with its director, Dr Carissa F Etienne, urging the adopting of a “one health policy” to allow for greater collaboration and coordination in dealing with...

733 new COVID-19 cases in Jamaica, three more deaths

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica recorded 733 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths on Sunday, bringing the infection total to 80,406, and the virus death toll to 1,794.

COVID ANGER!

The man charged with leading Jamaica's efforts to get sufficient quantities of the COVID-19 vaccines, National Health Fund (NHF) Chairman Howard Mitchell, is confident that the island is past the time of a general shortage of vaccines, but remains peeved about the...