Just under 40 percent of eligible Jamaicans have received at least one shot of the coronavirus vaccine to date, data from the Ministry of Health shows, with the total of over 860,000 or 30 percent of the overall population.
The figure is vastly different from the lower level generally bandied about. The official data compares those vaccinated with the total population, but only individuals 12 years and over are eligible for the vaccine at this time as such, comparing the data with the total population distorts the vaccination progress made. The ministry’s data also does not appear to include persons vaccinated overseas, which would increase the level of vaccination in the country. The total number of single doses include those getting two does and that would reduce the overall numbers of persons vaccinated below 40 of the target.
In August, 120,000 persons got a least one vaccine shot, which climbed to 131,000 in September, with October pointing to a further increase, data out of the Ministry shows.