BELIZE CITY, Mon. Mar. 1, 2021– On Monday, the Minister of Health and Wellness (MOHW) administered the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to three healthcare workers. Dr. Marcelo Coyi, Dr. Eric Bradley, and Sister Casilda Bowman are the first Belizeans to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

During a live virtual press conference held by the MOHW, these three healthcare workers were all given their first jab. Another 997 healthcare workers are expected to be vaccinated within the coming days and weeks with their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

In introducing the three medical workers who would be receiving the first jab of the vaccine, Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Michel Chebat said, “I am pleased to announce that we have three volunteers who will be the first recipients of the vaccines. We have with us Dr. Marcelo Coyi — thank you very much, Dr. Coyi; we have Dr. Bradley, who has been at the forefront of this COVID war; he’s at the KHMH. Dr. Bradley, thank you for being with us. And we have Sister Bowman, who has also been at the forefront of this war since its inception. Thank you very much, Sister Bowman. They will be vaccinated today and they will be the first of our people to receive the vaccination.”

Present at the press conference was Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño, who said, “This country is indebted to all the frontline workers, so I want to tell them, on behalf of this Government and behalf of the people of Belize, to all healthcare workers, thank you so much for the work that you have done.”

During an interview last week, Dr. Natalia Largaespada Beer shared that about 12% of healthcare workers have indicated that they would not take the vaccine, according to initial data gathered by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

In Belize’s five-phase approach to herd immunity, healthcare workers are listed as the first priority group to be vaccinated.