Dominica has received the second tranche of 64,500 doses of Pfizer BioNTech SE vaccine as a donation from the United States Government through the COVAX facility.
The vaccines were shipped over a three-day period from December 15th to 17, 2021. The vaccines shipment is facilitated by the Pan American Health Organization –PAHO.
PAHO’s Country Programme Specialist in Dominica Anneke Wilson, in handing over the vaccines, said, “The organization utilizes its strategic fund to coordinate the process. A fund in which all countries of the Caribbean, through PAHO participate in as it relates to vaccines procurement.”
In thanking the US Government for the gift of the Pfizer Vaccines, Kent Edwards the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and New Health Investment said, “There are people awaiting the second dose of the Pfizer Vaccine. We are expecting this to go into immediate use ” He further encouraged Dominicans to get vaccinated against the Coronavirus. Citing that, it is the only way to get back to normalcy.” Vaccination is very important in the fight of the COVID 19” he stated.
In September 2021, Dominica received its first donation of 11,700 doses of the Pfizer vaccines from the United States Government out of a total of 46, 800 doses committed to the country by the US Government.