COVID-19:  ADDRESSING VACCINE HESITANCY AND RESISTANCE TO TAKING THE VACCINATION IN JAMAICA, WI.

 Give Them a Hand Foundation is painfully aware that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected lives all around the world and has taken a toll on almost every aspect of society. Jamaica is no exception, and in fact has one of the highest levels of vaccine hesitancy and resistance in the world. We are committed to doing something to correct that.

Our plan is to host a Vaccine Health and Wellness event on November 19, 2021. It will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook and the GTAH website. We are also discussing the possibility of partnering with one or more TV outlets.

Presently, with our Jamaican partners, we are developing a program which we believe has an excellent chance of attracting the masses that will give us the opportunity to inform and educate.  Our partners on the ground are the Medical Association of Jamaica, the Lions Clubs of New Kingston and Mandeville, and several University of the West Indies chapters in North America as well as a number of noted infectious disease specialists in the Caribbean

We are very aware that the Jamaican Government wants at least 70% of the population to be vaccinated. However, we do not expect people to turn out to hear scientists and health professionals speak about the pandemic and the vaccines. The intelligentsia may turn out to listen and view, but not hundreds of thousands of the general public which are the numbers we are expecting to attract.

We will have some popular artistes to entertain people and speakers with whom they are familiar. Speakers will deliver short, targeted messages. No statement will be longer than 4 minutes. PSA’s will be 60 seconds. We will record Man-in-the-Street interviews in Half-Way-Tree, Mandeville and May Pen and play the myths and misinformation that they repeat, rebutting each as they appear. The entire program will be pre-recorded.

Speakers who have confirmed are Dr. Morais Guy, MP and Shadow Minister of Health; Professor Peter Figueroa, University of the West Indies; Professor Swinburne Augustine (Dominica); Professor Winston Davidson, as well as Speakers from Sierra Leone and the World Health Organization (WHO); Harold Lovell, Former MP, Antigua, and Barbuda, and Dr. Joy St. John (CARPHA).  Mr Leachim Semaj, Faith leader, Rev Newton Dixon and Dr Abrahams are all on board as well. We have invited Dr. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health, and hope to have him on board shortly.

The following artists have agreed to perform in the event: Nadine Sutherland, Christopher Martin, Ding Dong, Fab5, Menace Da General (Sierra Leone), and Daphne (Cameroonian superstar). Frankie Campbell is the musical director for the event. The Mighty Sparrow and Patrick Ewing have agreed to record PSA’s in support of vaccination. Fab5 will be the musical director; Phase 3 Productions will do the video recording and Big Yard Studios will be the venue for the artistes to perform.

We are still in need of funding, and we are asking concerned global citizens who are reading this to assist by donating to cover the costs of production, which will amount to US$25,000.  Working together we can save lives and improve health outcomes for COVID-19 in Jamaica and the Caribbean.