The Health Ministry says the vaccination of children 12 years and older will be prioritised, following the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine later this week.

The ministry says the island is scheduled to see the first batch of 204,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine this Thursday.

The batch is part of a total shipment of 608,000 doses of the vaccine to arrive in Jamaica in the coming weeks and follows negotiations between Jamaica and the United States.

The donation will be delivered in three shipments over three months.

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Christopher Tufton notes that the Pfizer vaccine has proven safe and has been approved for use in children and adolescents.

He adds that the prioritisation of children is critical at this juncture.

He say this is in the context of the suspected presence of the delta variant in the island and its increased adverse impact on younger persons.

Meanwhile the island is also slated to receive a shipment of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in short order.

According to Dr. Tufton, some 118,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are to be provided by the African Medical Supply Platform.