“Vaccine hesitancy” is being switched for “vaccine acceptance”, the House of Assembly was told yesterday.

Measures against the coronavirus pandemic came up for discussion as MPs approved an emergency restrictions, which would have expired next Wednesday, for a further 60 days to April 25.

Kim Wilson, the health minister, said the Government was “changing the messaging” on the vaccine against the coronavirus, which had been 14,605 people by Wednesday.

Ms Wilson said 17 per cent of the population had been given a single dose of the jab and 6 per cent had been given both doses.

Michael Dunkley, the Shadow Minister of Health, asked how the ministry was tackling reluctance to take the vaccine, which he said was more widespread in the Black population.

Ms Wilson appealed to the public to use reputable sources such as the Government website, rather than basing their decisions on Facebook rumours.

She said that “the disparity between registrations for the vaccine concerning race is starting to gradually decline”.

Ms Wilson added 42 per cent of people who had registered for the jab were White and 34 per cent were Black.

She said the Government also planned to mail out information on the vaccine starting next week.

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