HANOVER — Following a less than desired vaccination blitz turnout in Hanover amid the parish recording a surge in novel coronavirus cases, the medical officer of health for the parish, Dr Kaushal Singh, is encouraging the public to come out and get their vaccine within the next five days.

“Hanover has a target to vaccinate at least 3,500 persons within next five days…I will urge you all to help me out to achieve this number so that the current increase in the number of cases will have a lesser impact in the following weeks. We have been seeing a large increase in the number of cases in the parish,” stated Dr Singh in a WhatsApp message which was shared with the Jamaica Observer.

According to the medical officer, each health centres in the parish have a slot for 200 people to get vaccinated, however, approximately 40 per cent have come out so far in Lucea.

Health centres in Lucea and Sandy Bay will open between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, while those in Green Island, Hopewell, Ramble Chester Castle and Dias will be open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm to accommodate people wishing to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

Westmoreland has also seen a surge in cases and as such, medical officer of health for Westmoreland, Dr Marcia Graham, has also encouraed residents of the parish to come out and get their jab, as she pointed to the spike in COVID-19 cases.

She said that people with their vaccination cards will be allowed to travel back home without a problem today, being observed as Emancipation Day. The curfew will start at 3:00 pm today.

Vaccination is taking place across Savanna-la-Mar, Whitehouse, Negril, Darliston and Grange Hill health centres in Westmoreland on specific days. While some centres will close off at 4:00, others will close at either 2:00 or 3:00 pm.

In the parishes of St James and Trelawny, the vaccination blitz reportedly progressed well over the weekend.

In St James, the Montego Bay Comprehensive-Type Five, Catherine Hall, Sandals Inn, Mount Carey and Johns Hall health centres will open on various days from 8:00, 9:00 and 10:00 am to accommodate people taking their vaccination.

The Falmouth, Duncans, Wakefield, Clark’s Town, Lowe River, Ulster Spring, Duansvale, Bounty Hall, Wait-A-Bit, Warsop, Troy, Jackson Town and Rio Bueno health centres will open from as early as 9:00 am in some cases, and close at 4:00 pm.

— Anthony Lewis