Pfizer Vaccine to be Suspended Effective September 11

Effective Saturday, September 11, the Health Ministry will suspend the administration of first doses of the Pfizer vaccine. This to ensure adequate supply for persons who will be due their second dose in the coming weeks.

Following the suspension, the first dose administration of the Pfizer vaccine will resume as soon as the Ministry receives its next shipment of the vaccine. The announcement was made during the weekly COVID-19 media briefing, Thursday, September 8.

According to Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton, half of the over 200,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccines Jamaica received have so far been used. Dr. Tufton says given the uncertainty of when the next doses will arrive, the current doses will be kept for persons who are yet to receive their second jab.

While addressing the weekly COVID-19 press conference Dr. Tufton sought to provide the latest statistics regarding the number of persons currently vaccinated. He notes these numbers have helped to bolster the target of at least 700,000 doses by the end of September, which will see 65 percent of the population vaccinated by March 2022.

Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jaquiline Bisasor-Mckenzie says there was an increase in COVID-19 deaths between the period August 1 to September 8. She also sought to refute claims that persons died due to reduced oxygen. The CMO says there is seemingly also been a decline in the country’s positivity rate which is now down to approximately 32 percent.

More in this CVM Live story from Javine Mclean: