Andrew Holness denied rumours he faked taking the vaccine

Prime Minister Andrew Holness Facebook Page reposted an article from the Jamaica Observer refuting allegations that he faked taking the vaccine. The headline captioned “Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Friday denied rumours suggesting that he did not actually receive a dose of the Covishield-AstraZeneca vaccine in Kingston last Monday.”

Rumours began to swirl on social media that the Prime Minister had faked taking the AstraZeneca vaccine.

On Thursday March 22, the Prime Minister surrounded by the media announced, “Juliet and I received our first dose of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine this afternoon at the Good Samaritan Inn, Downtown Kingston. The vaccine was administered by Nurse Ellis. After each injection of the vaccine, you will be observed for about 15 minutes to monitor for signs of an allergic reaction. You will be told when you need to return for your second injection. It is important that you return for your second injection to complete the vaccination process. After taking the vaccine, it is still important to wear your mask, maintain physical distance and wash your hands with soap and water frequently. As more vaccines become available, we encourage Jamaicans to make arrangements to be inoculated.”

Soon thereafter social media began to decipher the video of him taking the shot. There are videos on social media claiming to show the PM taking the vaccine was staged.

The rumour have been so intense that the Prime Minister felt the need to respond.

“The nurse was highly proficient in administering the shot. I didn’t feel any pain greater than a mosquito bite. The needle is one of the thinnest gauges and pierces the skin and muscles easily,” the prime minister told the Jamaica Observer exclusively.

He said that the vaccines trigger the immune system in the body to develop the natural capability to fight the virus if the person is exposed to it. And, upon receiving the vaccine, therefore, he continued, the immune system should start to react by producing the antibodies to fight infections.

Holness said by 11:00 pm on the night of taking the vaccine he began to feel the effects of his immune system reacting to it.

“I had a low-grade fever which lasted through the night and, in the morning, I felt lethargic. Nevertheless, I was still able to fulfil my appointments, including an international meeting and debating matters in Parliament,” he stated.

“By Wednesday morning, after going to bed early on Tuesday night, I was fine, except that the area where I got the jab is mildly sore. The reports from persons who have taken the vaccine are similar to my experience of slightly elevated temperature, tiredness and mild soreness at the injection spot for a day or two,” he said.

“I am told that the immunity does take some time to build, so I am still maintaining all the protocols to prevent infection and spread,” the prime minister added. Jamaica Observer.

The Prime Minister have been on an intense campaign to convince Jamaicans to take the vaccine which many are highly skeptical about.