Only just over 40 per cent of the 170,000 people who were due their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine turned up to receive the jab last month.
That’s according to the Ministry of Health’s data.
Nationwide News has obtained a copy of the latest figure.
Health Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, had revealed that over 170,000 people were due their second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine last month.
But at the end of the month, only 70,000 people had turned up to receive their second dose of the AstraZeneca brand.
A further 29,000 people received their first dose of the brand over the same period.
A batch of 185,000 doses expired at 11:59 last night after the Ministry failed to boost daily inoculation rates beyond approximately 5,000.
Those doses will be dumped.
Health Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has repeatedly reassured the country that no expired vaccines will be administered.
Dr. Christopher Tufton, Health Minister.
A further batch of 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine is set to expire at the end of this month.
And, the country is set to receive an additional combined total of 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines this week.
The Health and Wellness Ministry is reporting that 369,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines arrive in the island at today.
The shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine is another gift from the government of Canada.
Meanwhile, the ministry says a further 204-thousand doses of the Pfizer vaccines are expected to arrive in the island on Wednesday.
The ministry says it will hold to the policy of only administering second doses to those due for Pfizer, after which it will exclusively focus on inoculating children with the Pfizer brand.
Persons are reminded to make their appointments via the ministry’s website at www.moh.gov.jm or by calling 888-ONE-LOVE.
