Jamaica has received its first batch of monkeypox vaccine.
The Health and Wellness Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton told Radio Jamaica News that some 1,400 doses of the vaccine arrived on the island a few days ago.
He said the vaccine will not be available to the general population but will be administered to people who have been exposed to monkeypox.
“So if someone was a close contact to someone who is infected, then they would be administered the vaccine for their protection,” he explained.
However, Tufton said he is hopeful “we won’t need to use [the vaccine]” at all, given the rate of infections the country has had.
Jamaica has so far confirmed 14 cases of monkeypox – two of which were imported and 12 locally transmitted.
Thirteen of the patients are men.
