Barbados gets 33,600 jabs of vaccine from PAHO through COVAX facility

Barbados: As COVID-19 is surging across the world, Barbados received 33,600 jabs of Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccines under the COVAX facility from PAHO.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced that “An additional 33,600 Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines (provided by the COVAX facility) have arrived in Barbados.”

Furthermore, she added, “They arrived onboard Caribbean Airlines cargo flight BW791 (Boeing 767-323) operated by Northern Air Cargo which departed Miami International Airport at 3:57 am AST and touched down at Grantley Adams International Airport at 6:57 am AST.”

Additionally, On hand for the arrival included our very own Health and Wellness Minister, Lt. Col. the Honourable Jeffrey Bostic; our Chief Medical Officer, Dr Kenneth George; Dr Yitades Gebre, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean; Mr Didier Trebucq, United Nations Resident Coordinator; the US Ambassador; the Japanese Ambassador; a representative of the Canadian High Commission; a representative of the British High Commission; the EU Ambassador and others.

Earlier Barbados has received 1,00,000 jabs of Oxford Astra Zeneca from India. Barbados was the first Caribbean region to obtain jabs of vaccine from India.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley wrote a letter over vaccine procurement to Indian PM Narendra Modi.

These coming 3 days will be the most prominent milestone for PAHO, as in the last week of January, the COVAX, an alliance led by WHO and Gavi, promised equal access to COVID-19 vaccines revealed by PAHO. PAHO Caribbean already gave the shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to Jamaica, Bahamas, Guyana, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago.

The Caribbean country was already in need of vaccines for its population. The generous gift of authorities will support these nations in inoculating the target population to achieve herd immunity.

On the other hand, 9 nations will receive 280,800 Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccines under COVAX through PAHO. Costa Rica will also get enough amount of jabs to inoculate its population.