By Caribbean News Global contributor
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Following the announcement that Jamaica is exploring vaccine options outside of COVAX facility, and Latin America – Caribbean notification of first COVID-19 vaccine allocations through COVAX – and ongoing preparation by participating Member States for inoculation, COVAX has also published an interim distribution forecast, available here, Guyana has secured vaccines from China.
According to a statement from the minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation, February 4, a meeting with Charge d’Affaires of the embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Chen Xilai, confirmed the approval of 20,000 vaccines earmarked for Guyana.
The approval of China COVID-19 vaccines and logistics is significant in the inoculation of the people of Guyana and the region, is expected to arrive in Guyana in March 2021.
“ Guyana is among 38 countries that will receive the Sinopharm vaccine,” the Charge d’Affaires conveyed, “as China makes a significant contribution to Guyana’s development since the establishment of diplomatic relations June 27, 1972.
In addition to on-going programmes between China and Guyana that includes the deployment of “Chinese doctors to the nation’s hospitals as well as the implementation of several major infrastructural projects,” the donation of COVID-19 vaccines is viewed as “ another tangible demonstration of the importance of the bilateral relationship between Guyana and China. ”