With an estimated 3 million people, Jamaica has confirmed 20,016 COVID-19 positive cases and 243 deaths because of the pandemic as of February 17, 2021. 
 
Despite an aggressive public education program and the implementation of COVID-19 health safety protocol guidelines, the number of COVID-19 positive cases continues to increase. The Jamaican health facilities are now over 85% capacity, and the authorities are anxious to stop the virus's spread. 
 
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Jamaican economy has been devastating, with the island's real GDP expected to decrease 9% in 2021. The tourism sector, including hotels and restaurants, contracted more than 70% and laid-off an estimated 50,000 employees directly employed in the industry.
 
As in other countries, the pandemic crisis appears to have a more significant impact on female workers. In Jamaica, 78% of health and social workers -those on the front lines against COVID-19 - and 55% of the workers in the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 (including trade, hotels, restaurant services, education) are women.
 
The Government of Jamaica is working towards safely achieving herd immunity. Still, a substantial proportion of the population would need to be vaccinated, lowering the overall amount of virus to spread in the entire population. The aim is to keep vulnerable groups who cannot get vaccinated (e.g., health conditions) safe and protected from the disease. 
 
Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, which Johnson & Johnson developed, is the preferred choice for developing economies like Jamaica over the current messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.
 
Janssen's advantages include: the vaccine only requires one dose instead of two, requires refrigeration, but not the extremely low freezer temperatures of mRNA vaccines, and can be distributed through normal vaccine distribution channels. The Janssen vaccine also remains viable when refrigerated for months. 
 
Members of the Jamaican Diaspora community are incredibly proud of the United States' first woman Vice President Kamala Harris, the daughter of Donald Jasper Harris, a Jamaican-born economist and professor emeritus at Stanford University.
 
As a person with Jamaican roots, the Jamaican Diaspora believes it would be a great honor if Kamala Harris used her influence to have the US government sponsor the Johnson & Johnson's single-shot Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine for free distribution to all Jamaicans.
 
By signing this petition, we support access to the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine for all Jamaicans living in Jamaica.
 
The support of Vice President Harris would help to preserve the health and prosperity of the Jamaican people.