Christopher Tufton | Returning the country to normality: The importance of the COVID-19 vaccine

Jamaica is set to receive between 146,400 and 249,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines under the COVAX facility. This means that some 125,000 Jamaicans could receive vaccines very soon. Among the priority groups to receive the vaccines are our front-line workers, including nurses and doctors, and persons 60 years and older because of their vulnerability and higher levels of comorbidities.

AstraZeneca was approved by the top EU regulatory authority, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), for use in all age groups in the EU. It was also approved for use in all age groups in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The UK started to vaccinate its population in December, and has managed to secure more than 100 million doses. India and Mexico are also among countries that have given approval for AstraZeneca.

Jamaica has an excellent record of vaccine uptake. Nevertheless, there are fears and doubts about this vaccine, and we must combat those fears and soothe those doubts so that we have maximum uptake of this vaccine.

Securing the vaccine for Jamaicans is major progress. Progress that is necessary for protecting the most vulnerable and high-risk groups, in the first instance, and in so doing, return the country to a level of normality. The COVID-19 pandemic led to border closures around the world, bringing the tourism industry to a complete halt, and disrupting several other economic sectors. Our healthcare systems, schools, social activities, and daily lives have been upended. Many Jamaicans, especially those in the lower-income bracket, have been severely affected.

Vaccines are critical and will put the Government and all Jamaicans in a much better position to balance lives and livelihoods.

Value of the vaccine

The need for a vaccine has been recognised since the onset of the pandemic. The scientific community around the world, several governments, and the pharmaceutical industry have invested extensively in the development of COVID-19 vaccines. A coronavirus vaccine had been in development since the SARS outbreak of 2003, and the COVID-19 vaccine’s development built on this work. Though the timeline may seem shorter than usual for vaccine development, the COVID-19 vaccine was approved for Pfizer-BioNTech (United States & Germany), Moderna (United States), and Oxford-AstraZeneca (United Kingdom and Sweden). Other vaccines are being developed, with some at more advanced stages than others.

MOST VULNERABLE GROUP

Among the most vulnerable groups that are susceptible to becoming severely ill or dying from COVID-19 are those who are in the over-65 categories. Our data shows that 97 per cent of those who died from COVID-19 had one or more comorbidities or risk factors. To put this into perspective, 72 per cent of fatalities were 60 years and older, 57 per cent had cardiovascular disease, 43 per cent had diabetes, and 14 per cent had chronic kidney disease. It is therefore essential that this group is inoculated against the virus. The data shows that the vaccine is safe for people over age 65. It produces a strong immune response. There has been some discussion in a handful of European countries that there is a need for greater proof of efficacy in this age group, but more concrete data has shown that those who are over 65 and have taken the vaccine have significantly fewer side effects than those in the younger age categories.

Misinformation

The success of the vaccine, and the return to normality that it promises, is contingent on people receiving it. Misinformation that spreads rapidly and engenders fear threatens to undermine the prospective benefits that widespread vaccine uptake will produce. Conspiracy theories and efforts to derail the vaccine will hamper our efforts at managing the pandemic, and delay Jamaica’s return to normality. Getting children back to school, workers back to work, the tourism industry back on its feet, and the entertainment sector back in business are essential to Jamaica’s recovery. The healthcare system has managed to remain steadfast throughout the pandemic, but it is under tremendous pressure. As other countries move to ensure vaccine uptake, vaccination will also become important for travel and moving across national borders, whether in search of economic opportunities or for business and leisure.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Government of Jamaica and the Ministry of Health and Wellness have managed the spread of the virus, despite the resource challenges, and have provided timely, evidence-based information with an unprecedented level of transparency. Our decisions are made in consultation with and guidance from the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, and the science. There is no reason for the Jamaican people not to continue to trust their Government in this important step in combating the pandemic.

Moving forward

Jamaica is still experiencing community spread of COVID-19. We have had 1,700 cases and, sadly, 355 deaths. The virus will not and cannot be contained without a vaccine, and without widespread uptake of the vaccine. COVID-19 is still a threat to our lives and our livelihoods. Taking the vaccine means we can each protect ourselves, we can protect each other, and we can get our country and our lives moving forward once again.

- Dr Christopher Tufton is the Minister of Health & Wellness. Email comments to columns@gleanerjm.com and cctufton@gmail.com