Hanover Western MP urges constituents to get vaccinated
NEGRIL, Westmoreland – Member of Parliament for Hanover Western Tamika Davis is encouraging her constituents to get vaccinated as she expressed dissatisfaction with the parish being ranked among other parishes with a low uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Noting that Hanover’s distinctive placement as the last parish to register a case of COVID-19 in Jamaica “as a result of doing the right thing last year,” the MP argued that “this may have contributed to a level of complacency.”
Davis pointed out that even though people have a choice as to whether or not they should take the vaccine, she is encouraging them to arm themselves with the correct information in an effort “to make a definitive decision about taking the vaccine”.
“So, I am imploring you to just address your mind to it fully and then thereafter you can reject or accept, but at least you would have addressed your mind in a fulsome way to taking the vaccine,” Davis reasoned.
She was addressing the Rotary Club of Green Island, Sunrise’s first annual executive installation ceremony, held at the Charela Inn Hotel in Negril on Saturday.
Following the function, Davis told the Jamaica Observer West that part of the challenge is that several people have taken the decision not to take the vaccine without having a valid reason, and as such, she had to make the call for people to seek professional advice before making a decision.
Data from the Hanover Health Department has revealed that as of September 24, some 25 per cent of the roughly 72,000 residents of the parish had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while eight per cent have been fully vaccinated.
The acting medical officer of health for Hanover, Dr Marcia Campbell Johnson, told the Observer West that the parish’s figure is similar to that of the national figure.
As of Tuesday, the parish had recorded 2,723 cases of COVID-19 while there are about 50 related deaths.