Vybz Kartel Takes COVID-19 Vaccine

Dancehall star Vybz Kartel was one of a batch of about 30 inmates of the Horizon Adult Correctional Centre to take the COVID-19 vaccine today.

Prison authorities, speaking on condition of anonymity, have confirmed that Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, was among the inmates who opted to take the vaccine.

“They took the AstraZeneca vaccine with the second dose scheduled as usual,” a source reportedly told the Jamaica Observer.

Earlier this year, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of National Security, Matthew Samuda, revealed that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy registered in the region of 90 percent of prison inmates locally.

Speaking after a tour of the Private Security Regulations Authority (PSRA) Regional Office in Montego Bay, St James at the same time, Samuda expressed disappointment that only roughly 300 or 10 percent of the inmate population have so far been inoculated.

He contended that while every inmate was offered the vaccine, they cannot be compelled to take it.

“We have made it available and we continue to do our best to monitor the protocols to ensure that risk is mitigated,” Samuda stated.

Last week, Jamaica’s Minister of Health and Wellness Christopher Tufton admitted that he would welcome the support of Vybz Kartel onboard his Ministry’s ‘Every Vax Counts’ campaign. This admission came after Vybz Kartel’s attorney Isat Buchanan said that the incarcerated Dancehall deejay would be inclined to take the Covid-19 vaccine, a revelation which was met with disbelief and disdain by many of his Gaza fans.

“We the ppl of Jamaica never see when him take it so u can’t trick we,” commented one of the Fever deejay’s fans.

“Kartel sentence fi cut in a half cause of this, cause lord knows this might just end up influence more ppl fi do the right thing and and by default save nuff ppl life and work out fi the greater good of Jamaica. FREE WORLD BOSS!” added another.