Some forty-thousand Jamaicans who received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccines, are to receive their second shots starting next week.

Jamaica received a shipment of 55,000 doses of the vaccine through the COVAX facility on Monday, of the new batch 40,000 are reserved for the individuals eligible for their second shot.

The remaining 15,200 pooled with 11,800 previously in stock will be used to continue administering shots to priority groups.

This was disclosed in Thursday’s digital COVID-19 conversation. 

Meanwhile, the positivity rate is trending down, resulting in decline in hospital admission.

Despite the downward trend, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie warns that the country is still in the very high transmission rate.

She adds that if the protocols and restrictions are not maintained and observed, Jamaicans run the risk of facing a third surge in infections.

This could see, up to ten thousand and seven hundred cases being recorded in the peak week.

Robian Williams reports for CVM Live: