(JIS) Jamaica on April 8 received its third shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine to help in its fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).
The shipment, totalling 75,000 doses, arrived at the Noman Manley International Airport, and came through the African Medical Supplies Platform.
The first shipment was donated by the Indian Government and the second shipment came through the COVAX Facility, organised by the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) for member countries that have made a collective purchase.
Accepting the shipment, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, thanked the Government and people of South Africa and the African Medical Supply Platform for the donation.
“This shipment is going to be used for our [vaccination] blitz exercise, starting this weekend. As early as tomorrow, we’re going to be dispatching. The intention is to inoculate as many persons as possible, hopefully well over 50,000. We are doing 60 years and over, and we are including now our teachers and we are also including our hotel workers,” Minister Tufton said.
“We have another shipment coming in this month from COVAX. Approximately 50,000 doses should come in about the third week of April, and possibly another shipment for 20,000,” he said.