(Jamaica Observer) KINGSTON, Jamaica — Approximately 75,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the African Medical Support Platform (AMSP) are expected in the island in the next five days.
This will be followed by 20,000 doses of Moderna from commercial sources two to three weeks later, along with another 26,000 doses of AstraZeneca thereafter.
This was announced by Chairman of the National Health Fund (NHF), Howard Mitchell, in giving an update on Jamaica’s prospects of obtaining vaccines for the population in light of the global scarcity and the volatility of supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
“These shipments totaling 121,000 doses of COVID 19 vaccines, should ensure NHF’s ability to distribute vaccines through April into May 2021, until the supply chain for COVID-19 vaccines stabilises,” Mitchell said.
These supplies are a part of vaccines which have been negotiated by the Government of Jamaica in 2020, under the two international vaccine purchasing agreements from COVAX, under the aegis of the World Health Organization (WHO); and the AMSP, established by the African Union member states under the chairmanship of Strive Masiyiwa.
Under these agreements, Jamaica has been allocated sufficient vaccines to inoculate one and a half million residents. In order to achieve herd immunity, the island still needs to secure a further one million doses of double dose vaccines or five hundred thousand single dose vaccines, the NHF said.
It said among the challenges faced in securing COVID-19 vaccines for the country are issues surrounding production, as the manufacturers face difficulties in raw material supplies and transportation logistics.
