Local health authorities on Friday received 28,800 more doses of the one-shot Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through a donation from the Government of Spain.
Earlier in the week, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony had stated that the country was expected to receive about 25,000 doses of the vaccine. The vaccine is currently being used as part of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination and booster programme and was previously in short supply.
The donation was made through the COVAX mechanism, which is led by the GAVI vaccine alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organization.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) on Friday reported Anthony as saying that the country is lucky to be able to access a number of vaccines through COVAX as he expressed gratitude to the Spanish government and the mechanism.
Anthony noted that prior to the donation there was just around 200 doses of the vaccine in George-town and some 2,000 doses were out in the various regions. “So, we were very much looking forward to getting this particular shipment of vaccines and now that it has arrived, I’m sure it would boost our effort to make sure that we get more vaccines out, especially the booster doses to people who need them,” he said.
