BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Apr. 1, 2021– At around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 31, the Ministry of Health and Wellness received 33,600 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on behalf of the country from the COVAX Facility. At the Philip Goldson International Airport, where the first batch of the COVAX vaccines arrived via an air carrier, Minister Michel Chebat, along with other Government officials, were on the tarmac to officially receive the much-anticipated vaccine supply.
The vaccines delivered on Wednesday were facilitated through the PAHO Revolving Fund. “PAHO’s Revolving Fund, which is responsible for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for the countries of the Americas under the COVAX Mechanism, sent 33,600 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by SK Bioscience of South Korea,” a release from PAHO stated.
“We extend appreciation for the team effort coordinated through our partners, PAHO/WHO, UNICEF, and IDB for negotiating, purchasing, and handling the shipment logistics on behalf of Belize and the other 36 countries participating in the COVAX Facility,” Minister Chebat remarked when the shipment arrived.
The country is expected to receive a total of 100,800 doses that will be delivered in smaller batches like the one received on Wednesday, over the first two quarters of this year, according to the release from PAHO.
“The past year has plunged Belize into a humanitarian and socio-economic crisis — upending the lives of societies, communities, and families, especially children. As over 108,000 children prepare to return to the classrooms in the upcoming months, the arrival of the vaccines advances us one step closer to creating a post-COVID environment that is safe for children to return to schools and regain a sense of security and normalcy,” Alison Parker, Representative for UNICEF Belize, said.
Dr. Noreen Jack, PAHO representative in Belize, commented, “Seeing this arrival of the vaccines through [the] COVAX Facility is very reassuring, and it means that more people will be able to be protected from COVID-19.”