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Guyana receives first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX
Ministry of Health, PAHO/WHO, UNICEF and UN officials at the CJIA yesterday.
The vaccines being taken off of the flight.
The vaccine craters.
Kaieteur News – Yesterday, Guyana received a donation of 24,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility.
COVAX, which is a partnership between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), had earmarked a quota of vaccines to cater for 20 percent of Guyana’s population since last year. Its main objective is to ensure the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally.
The vaccines arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport yesterday and saw European Union (EU) Ambassador to Guyana, Dr. Fernando Ponz Cantó; representatives from the UN, PAHO/WHO, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health and other officials present to witness the arrival.
In an official release, COVAX stated that the delivery of the vaccines is just the first phase of deliveries for Guyana, with more vaccines expected to arrive during 2021. It was noted that “According to the first round of COVAX allocations, Guyana is expected to continue receiving doses through May until it reaches 100,800, the amount specified by COVAX.”
Guyana’s PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. Luis Codina, who was also present, said that seeing the arrival of the vaccines is very reassuring and it means that more people in the country will be able to be protected from COVID-19. The COVAX statement further highlighted that Guyana is one of 10 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that are receiving vaccines at no cost through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) and Guyana is the first AMC country in the Caribbean to receive vaccines.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, offered remarks as the vaccines arrived, saying, “The Government of Guyana welcomes the arrival of vaccines from COVAX AMC. These vaccines will certainly help to expand the current vaccination efforts and assist in protecting many persons who are vulnerable to COVID-19.” He also extended gratitude to COVAX, PAHO/WHO, UNICEF and the UN for their efforts in securing the vaccines for Guyana as they will aid in the country’s efforts to achieve herd immunity promptly.
COVAX has stated that it will deliver 32 million vaccine doses to 59 countries by the first quarter of 2021, and is aiming to secure 1.3 billion doses for 92 low and middle-income countries by the end of the year.
The EU has announced that over 2.2 billion Euros, including 1 billion Euros from the EU budget, will be used for COVAX which makes it COVAX’s biggest donor to date.
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