Update | Tufton defends $422 million vaccine marketing budget | Main stories

WEST OFFICE:

Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton defended signing the $422 million emergency vaccine communications contract, even before eyebrows were raised over the massive budget.

The one-year contract, which was awarded to One Integrated Group, will see the company earn $22 million, with the balance going toward advertising spend, such as radio, television and print ads. newspapers, as well as field activation and deployment in various communities, as well as content development and securing talent.

Incorporated in 2018, One Integrated has a listed director, Keneshia Nooks.

The award comes at a time when governments around the world are working tirelessly to convince anti-vaccines and those doubting the safety of vaccines that they are safe and essential to ending the pandemic.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, which has 70% efficacy, has been approved for the island, and inoculation is expected to begin in late February. However, Tufton expressed concern that in some parts of the country only 30% of people were interested in the jab.

“The length of development and the side effects created a real narrative and a real challenge for Jamaica,” Tufton said.

Tufton justified the rush to contract a company capable of leading the campaign and the budget, which he said is determined by the goals and objectives and the time frame with which to work.

“When we talk about herd immunity, it should really be 70-80%, especially for this type of new virus that is sweeping the world and affecting the whole population. So it is not an easy task, and my main discipline is marketing so I can speak with authority,” the health minister said, adding that sometimes not enough value is given to the need to manage public perception.

“I’m not envious of what they have to do, because it’s a lot. Sometimes when you see $400 million, you think it’s a lot.

Dr Melody Ennis, director of family health services, insisted the AstraZeneca vaccine was safe, adding that people with respiratory diseases and obesity should be among the first to be immunized. People with comorbidities such as HIV, autoimmune diseases, cancer and other similar conditions are also encouraged to get vaccinated, although it may not trigger the desired response.

She said that while vaccines and certain medications are not usually given to pregnant women, they will need to weigh the risks and benefits.

“Pregnant people who contract the COVID virus have been known to fare worse than their counterparts, and they tend to have premature deliveries. With this in mind and looking at the composition of the vaccine, we now weigh the benefits of taking a vaccine against the risk of having harmful premature pregnancies.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

Editor’s note: Renee Nooks was referenced as the director of One Integrated in the original version of this story. She is actually listed as a secretary. Keneshia Nooks is the sole director.