Belize Vaccinates Its First 3 Citizens: Healthcare Workers Receive 1st AstraZeneca Dose

by Carolee Chanona March 1, 2021

written by Carolee Chanona

Making history, Belize vaccinates its first 3 citizens on live TV with the 1st dose of the Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccine! Today, March 1, Dr. Marcelo Coyi, Nurse Casilda Brown and Dr. Eric Bradley are among the first Belizeans to be vaccinated in country, with frontline healthcare workers receiving first priority; both Brown and Bradley work in Belize’s COVID-19 ICU unit. Belize continues to be proactive in its efforts to contain COVID-19 and has rolled out its national vaccination programme in the fight against the virus as of this morning. Being one of the first independent Caribbean nations to do so, Belize announced its 5-phase vaccination roll-out programme, including the process of vaccinating its frontline workers to be followed by the most vulnerable persons across the population.

Belize was able to secure 1,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca (COVISHIELD) through a donation from the people and Government of Barbados, who received 100,000 donated doses from the Government of India. In addition, Belize expects to receive another two (2) batches of vaccinations this month. One being a part of the World Health Organization’s COVAX programme, which is designed to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world. The second is a direct donation from the people and Government of India.

25,000 More AstraZeneca Vaccines En Route, Donated by India

Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration

Announced March 1, Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration has succeeded in acquiring a first donation of 25,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Government of India. As such, arrival is expected on March 6, 2021. Foreign Minister Eamon Courtenay engaged with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and High Commissioner Manpreet Vohra to achieve this.

Header photo & all others are courtesy Ministry of Health & Wellness Belize

covid reopening

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Linkedin Tumblr

Carolee Chanona

Editor, copywriter, and staycation advocate by trade, Carolee Chanona brings an incurable case of Belizean wanderlust to the Caribbean Lifestyle team. With a formal background in Environmental Policy and an informal one in culinary kitchens, every Belizean experience told through the eyes of this local includes memorable experiences in the places she loves most. Lover of both adventure holidays and quiet beachside escapes, Carolee especially enjoys destinations explored off the beaten path in Belize—traversed on an oxygen tank or in her handy-dandy hiking boots.