Prime Minister Andrew Holness says unvaccinated Jamaicans could become the foundation of the third wave of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

He was speaking at a virtual press conference from the Office of the Prime Minister in St Andrew, when he made the comment.

“The unvaccinated population could become the foundation on which the third waves are carried. Therefore, I think every single Jamaican when the opportunity comes, when your time comes, should do what is in your best interest, what is in your parents’ and grandparents’ best interest, what is in the interest of the country, in the interest of your children to return to school take the vaccine,” he said.

Holness said that it is “really unfair” for unvaccinated Jamaicans to watch others vaccinate against the virus and “hope to get a free ride on the disappearance of the virus from the society”.

He said that this approach is unlikely to work given the nature of the virus and how it has evolved over time.

“This virus intends to stick around and the only way it will go away is if a large percentage of the population — we are targeting 65 per cent — gets vaccinated,” he said, noting that the target may be revised to reflect a higher percentage over time.

He said this is the only way the vaccination drive will “truly have an impact”.