National COVID-19 Deployment Plan Initiated

The National COVID-19 Deployment and Vaccine Interim Plan will outline the overall strategies for the deployment, implementation and monitoring of vaccines in the country.

Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton provided an overview of the contents of the plan in Parliament.

There will be a phased introduction and deployment of vaccines across the island.

Four phases are proposed in the plan:

Phase 1

Jamaica has committed to vaccinating 16% of the population in phase 1 and will receive 935,676 doses of the approved COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX Facility.

Phase 2

At the end of Phase 1, Jamaica will acquire additional doses of the vaccines based on locally relevant risk factors, vulnerabilities and the COVID-19 threat. The projection for the second Phase is a further 16 % of the population. A list of priority groups will be identified for the second Phase. It is projected that in the second phase, vaccination will be offered to the general population. Fifty percent of doses will be earmarked for priority groups and fifty percent for the general population. The procurement of second phase vaccines is expected to start in the last quarter of 2021. It is expected that second phase vaccine distribution will begin in the second quarter of 2022.

Phase 3

At the end of the distribution of Phase 2 vaccines, thirty-two percent of the population will be vaccinated. Based on whether there is a continued threat, demand, cost, and availability of vaccine Jamaica will endeavor to enter into the third phase of vaccine procurement. A further 16 to 32 percent of vaccines will be procured. Twenty-five percent of this quantity will be reserved for priority groups and special January 2021 21 populations that have not been previously vaccinated. The balance will then be made available to the general population.

Phase 4

Based on whether there is a continued threat of COVID-19, Jamaica will enter into this phase which may be ongoing and will be determined by the need for re-vaccination and/or the level of immunity achieved or needed by the population. This phase may see the vaccine becoming a part of routine immunization schedules and procurements will be absorbed into the regular budget for immunizations. This will have to be expanded based on demand and availability of funds.

Additionally, the budget required to support Phase 1 will cost three billion Jamaican dollars.

But the Opposition maintains that 16% of the population being vaccinated in one year is unsatisfactory.

The Health Ministry is embarking on a robust public education and sensitization campaign, aimed at increasing acceptance and vaccine take-up.

Robian Williams reports: