PNP concerned about COVID-19 spike

The Opposition People's National Party (PNP) says it is deeply concerned about the sharp spike in COVID-19 cases, the positivity rate, hospitalisations, and deaths since the relaxation of restrictions about a month ago. 

The PNP is arguing that Jamaica is now facing a major health crisis, noting that all major hospitals are already over capacity and have more COVID patients than available beds.

READ: Large hospitals over capacity for COVID-19 admissions: health ministry

It underscores that this is prior to the inevitable impact from the parties, concerts, and other gatherings held during the past week of Emancipendence celebrations. 

The party says it is also concerned that this will have negative implications for the reopening of schools in September, which will further deepen the crisis on education.

Noting that only high levels of mass vaccination will enable Jamaica to return to a state of normalcy, the PNP is warning the Government that merely continuing the existing approaches will not achieve the required results. 

The PNP is therefore recommending the following new strategies to reverse the current spiral:

* Immediately expand the reach of the vaccination programme by bringing it to community centres, churches and schools within densely populated urban communities and deep rural areas, where many people are unable or unwilling to travel elsewhere to be vaccinated. 

* Enable private medical practitioners across Jamaica to provide vaccinations to their patients, which will provide an effective additional channel for the vaccination distribution system.

* Proactively enlist major social influencers, such as leading churchmen, sports personalities and entertainers, for strident messages to persuade hesitant Jamaicans to get vaccinated.

* Publicise the testimonials of doctors on the hospital frontlines as to the overwhelming prevalence of unvaccinated patients among those who are dying or falling seriously ill, which will provide stark and compelling encouragement for vaccination.

The PNP says it is willing to play an active role in a national effort to tackle the pandemic and is renewing its offer to cooperate with the Government in whatever ways its assistance may be sought. 

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