Belize is set to receive 42,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against the COVID-19 virus. This shipment of vaccines for the Jewel is a donation from the Government and people of the United Kingdom (UK). This donation is part of the broader pledge by the UK to donate 100 million doses to developing countries. The vaccines are expected to be delivered by the end of the week.
A group of key individuals worked together to secure this much-needed donation. These include Belize’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Eamon Courtenay, and his staff. They worked along with representatives of the UK government like Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK Minister of State for the Commonwealth, and Her Excellency Claire Evans, British High Commissioner to Belize, and her team. The vaccines will be used in the ongoing national vaccination campaign.
This is the first portion of the 100 million vaccines British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged the UK would share within the following year. A total of 30 million are due to be sent out by the end of this year. The majority of the vaccines will go to COVAX, a facility within the World Health Organization, with the rest going to countries directly. The donation is a pledge that leaders at the recent G7 convention celebrated last month in Cornwall, UK, to vaccinate the world and the pandemic in 2022.
The vaccines are made by Oxford Biomedica in Oxford and packaged in Wrexham, North Wales in the UK.
Belize initially received 1,000 vaccines from Barbados, then 25,000 from India before obtaining 67,200 doses of the 100,800 purchased from COVAX. In June of this year, Mexico donated 100,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Ministry of Health and Wellness urges Belizeans to get vaccinated so the country can fully open and go back to normalcy.
As of Wednesday, July 28th, 124,932 persons had received their first dose. Meanwhile, 48,141 persons are now fully vaccinated in Belize.
The Government of Belize expresses its gratitude to the UK government for the donation and continued support to Belize in its fight against COVID-19. Belize also commends the leadership demonstrated by Her Majesty’s Government in vaccine development and ensuring equitable global access.
