Jamaican parents rush to sign petition against “vaccine coercion”

More than 9,700 persons have already affixed their names to an online petition launched yesterday by the lobby group Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society.

The group’s target is 10,000 signatures after which it will present its case to Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Last week the Holness administration announced that children 12 and over must be vaccinated against covid-19 as a prerequisite to attend face-to-face classes in September, which is the start of the new academic school year. This follows the arrival of just over 208,000 doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, the only of its kind approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children within this age cohort.

Many Jamaicans say the move is tantamount to coercion and is a subtle ploy by the government to pressure parents to make their children to take the vaccine.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has been attributed to the death of more than 1,400 Jamaicans, opinions are still split on the efficacy and safety of covid-19 vaccines. Whilst some parents and children have already taken jab, there are others who are worried about the long term side effects because these vaccines did not go through any prolonged period of animal and human trials prior to them being approved for emergency use only.

Despite this, the FDA yesterday gave full authorization approval to the double-jab Pfizer vaccine which will strengthen the hands of US Governors seeking to push through mandatory vaccination for the education sector and other industries.

Citing a report from the United Kingdom’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation the JCHS said: “There is no evidence that the actual and potential risks of giving children the COVID vaccine are outweighed by any proven benefits.”

The influential lobby group in this petition is calling on the Holness administration to “provide full disclosure” on the “adverse effects of the vaccines” so parents can make the best decision in the best interest of their children.

Based on information it said it has gleaned from reputable sources the group said of the Pfizer vaccine “the risks do not match the benefits”. They further argued that the ability to transmit the Delta variant is unrelated to one’s vaccination status, the Pfizer vaccine data on children is not yet clear, while pointing to the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) is yet to approve covid-19 vaccines for persons less than 18 years of age.  

“Jamaican parents have been given the option of either rushing to vaccinate their children without adequate information or continuing to have their children suffer under the challenges to education and emotional and physical health caused by online learning and extended separation from friends and teachers,” it stated in a letter to the Prime Minister.  

“For responsible parental decisions to be made with informed consent, a supportive environment, free of coercion and with transparent access to the relevant facts is required. The announced intention of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information to tie the rapid vaccination of children to the much anticipated and desired delivery of goods and services (the return to face-to-face school) is, simply put, coercion.”

To read or sign this petition, click here.