Jamaica: 55,000 doses of AstraZeneca Arrive on Monday

#Kingston, April 27, 2021 – Jamaica received another 55,000 doses of the coronavirus (COVID-19) AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX Facility on Monday (April 26).

The shipment was met on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport, in Kingston, by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton.  It was organised by the World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO).

On April 8, Jamaica received its third and second to last shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine, totalling 75,000 doses, from the African Medical Supply Platform.  The first shipment of vaccines was donated by the Indian Government and the second shipment came through the COVAX Facility.

After accepting the shipment, Dr. Tufton said this will be used to inoculate persons due their second shot in May.

“Because of where we now are in the vaccine programme, we now have to begin the second phase, which is to inoculate or vaccinate the 40,000 persons that would be due their second shot in the month of May,” the Minister pointed out.

“We have to firstly say to those persons, we now have your second shot, so prepare yourselves to come out in May, because we have it and we reserved it for you. There is a place at the table for you,” he added.

Caption:

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (right), examines  a shipment of AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX Facility, which arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport on Monday (April 26).  Sharing the moment (at left) is  PAHO/WHO Country Representative for Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, Bernadette Theodore Gandi. Photo by Adrian Walker.