26,000 Belizeans are now eligible for their first dose of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine. That number covers all healthcare workers and a large portion of those over the age of 60.
It's an availability that's come about after the second donation of vaccines, this one 25,000 doses coming directly from the government and people of of India.
They were received yesterday by Minister of Health Michel Chebat in a short but auspicious ceremony at the P.G.I.A.. Here's that report.
It was relief in the form of ceremony yesterday when a United flight carrying 25,000 doses of the COVID-19 Astra Zeneca vaccine touched down on the P.G.I.A.'s tarmac.
It's Belize's second donation of life-saving medicine which is more than essential as it will allow the Ministry of Health to inoculate every willing healthcare worker.
Michel Chebat, Minister of Health
"Well it's actually gonna be 26,000 individuals who could be vaccinated and I will explain to you why. It is a two-dose vaccination we got 1000 from Barbados and now with this 25,000 we have 26 and so we're gonna be giving 26,000 of our citizens an initial dose, and when we get our supply from COVAX they're going to be getting their second dose. But this will allow us to vaccinate all of our healthcare workers both in the private and the public sector as well as all of our citizens who are 60 years and above and who have certain conditions such as HIV, Cancer, or Renal failure at this time. So this is a significant moment for us. It means that we are now having at least 26,000 of our citizens protected by this vaccine and it puts us ahead of the game in terms of starting to recover and be able to open back our economy."
"We now have these 25,000 doses and we expect that by the end of March to mid-April we will have the entire phase one rolled out."
It's the most precious of bilateral gifts, the kind that Indian consul in Belize Arun Hotchandani could never have imagined facilitating
Arun Hotchandani, Honorary Consul General for India in Belize
"I am extremely humbled, I am honored that today two very special countries for me both India and Belize have once again cemented the love and the brotherhood relationship that I always knew existed. I'm extremely happy that today it is India that has come to the front line and having gone through this dark pandemic last year I'm very happy and honored that India is the country that has stepped up to Belize and this is not going to be the last, there's going to be continued great relationship between our two countries."
And Hotchandani says that more vaccines are on the way.
Arun Hotchandani, Honorary Consul General for India in Belize
"I was teasing the minister earlier, teasing the minister by saying that we're already starting to lobby for the second set of vaccines, we don't have a commitment yet. As you know India has initiated this huge international vaccine drive. Where it gave millions of vaccines to the neighboring countries of India: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the demand for these vaccines became extremely there, as you know the whole world is in the desire of the vaccine. The Americans are trying to get their people vaccinated, Europe is trying to get their people, but India decided to go global and to become the, you know, the Cerem institute in India is the largest vaccination producer in the world. And we feel that with India's donation trans-Atlantic this was one of the few donations and we will continue to lobby to our sister country and I hope that they can come through for us sooner than later."
Foreign Affairs C.E.O Amalia Mai says that when it comes to securing vaccines Belizean diplomats are knocking on every door.
Amalia Mai, C.E.O Foreign Affairs
"When we get the other batch from COVAX I think the population itself will feel safer. It doesn't mean that we're not going to wear our mask and social distance but I think this is going to give us a little bit more security. We're not stopping, we have, Prime Minister Briceno has written to the President of Mexico to inquire about the possibility of getting from them. We're looking at the UK and at whatever door we can knock we are knocking."
We note that there was no Director of Health Services there to receive this donation.
Nonetheless, with those doses in hand Belize was able to start the rollout of Phase one of its COVID-19 vaccination program. Again those eligible in Phase one are public and private frontline healthcare workers, as well as anyone who works in a lab, pharmacy clinic, or hospital.
Also eligible are those 60 years and older along with those with special conditions such as HIV, Cancer, and those on dialysis.
Note that you do not qualify if you've been infected with COVID in the past six months, or if you are pregnant.
Those eligible are invited to call 613-6703 or 613-6582 to make an appointment.
