Citing the urgent need to increase vaccination uptake, particularly among children aged 12-17, the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has urged the Government to abandon its efforts to only administer second doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the current batch available.

Noting that students have not been able to access face-to-face classes for more than a year, the PSOJ argued that the country now has an adequate supply of the Pfizer vaccine and should not miss the opportunity to further increase the number of children who have received at least one dose of the recommended vaccine.

“We are proposing that while the Government continues to effectively mobilise its resources to ensure all persons due their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, turn out to vaccination outlets, that they also begin to administer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to children aged 12-17 years,” the organisation said.

“At this point, a strategic effort should be made to use the current supplies to provide first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to children, while reserving an adequate supply to provide their second dose in the next three weeks as stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO).”

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had earlier indicated that the administration of the 80,000 second doses due, from the Pfizer batches that recently arrived in the island, was not expected to take more than two to three weeks.

The PSOJ said it was also recommending that an exception be made for children to present national IDs or letters from a justice of the peace to be vaccinated.

“With less than 20 per cent of our population vaccinated, and our children missing out on face-to-face classes, this is
hardly the time to implement barriers for access to vaccines. Having more accessible options such as birth certificates and/or school IDs may prove less challenging for many students to present at vaccination sites,” the PSOJ argued.

According to the organisation, the private sector remains committed in its efforts to support the Government in the national roll-out of its vaccination programme.

With the continued oversight of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, administration of the Pfizer vaccine –
both second doses and the proposed first doses to children only – can be done at locations managed by the Private Sector Vaccine Initiative, including its Waterloo site.