Gov’t eyes including tourism workers among first vaccine recipients
Discussions are under way to secure immunisation for tourism workers against the dreaded novel coronavirus when Jamaica begins the process of vaccination for the first 16 per cent of the population next year, according to Ed Bartlett.
The tourism minister was responding to Opposition spokesman on health Dr Morais Guy who, during yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, had asked about the vulnerability of tourism workers interacting with overseas visitors.
“We are discussing, as we speak, as to how to ensure that the first [recipients] are going to be your front line workers and, of course, the tourism workers are as vulnerable because they have to deal with international visitors on a daily basis. So we will be looking at that to ensure that as many of our tourism workers as is feasible and possible will have it,” said Bartlett.
He added that currently, the Tourism Enhancement Fund is “working out a programme” to see how assistance can be provided to ensure that the timely immunisation of the workers takes place.
Over 130,000 people are directly employed in the tourism sector.
The vaccine, the House was informed, is likely to be optional.
Last week, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton had announced that front line health care workers and seniors are to be among the first set of some 450,000 Jamaicans who are expected to take the jab as countries globally push to end the pandemic.
Dr Tufton had also indicated that the projection is to have vaccines ready for administration to one per cent of the initial 16 per cent of the population by April, another three per cent by mid2021, and the remainder by the end of the year.
Noting that the country has recorded more than 11,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 270 deaths to date, Tufton said the vaccination of the population must form part of the country’s response to the virus.
In response to the projection, the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) called on the country’s legislators to lead by example in declaring their readiness to take the COVID jab.
NAJ President Patsy Edwards-henry told the observer last week that while the majority of the NAJ membership is not averse to immunisation against the disease, Dr Tufton and other parliamentarians must come forward and — like Prime Minister Andrew Holness — state that they will also be among the 16 per cent.
“We are a little bit concerned as it relates to our leaders because we hear that front line workers are supposed to be getting this vaccine. In our opinion, one of the most influential sets of people in this country is our politicians. We have not yet heard what they are doing — our minister of health, what is his take on taking the immunisation?” she told the observer.
“Front line workers want to lead by example, but we also want our leaders to lead by example. So, it would be lovely if our minister of health would give a statement as to his commitment to taking the vaccine, his colleagues, and then I’m sure everybody else will fall in line,” the NAJ head added.