Trinidad and Tobago to get 800,000 covid19 vaccine doses from China

COME next week, Trinidad and Tobago is expected to receive 800,000 doses of Sinopharm as the country looks to put its vaccination plans into overdrive.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Chinese Ambassador Fang Qiu wrote: “Heartened to update that 800,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines procured by the TT government have been ready for delivery, and will be arriving in TT early next week, taking the total donation and procurement of Chinese vaccines in TT to 1.1 million doses.

“Three batches in a row in less than 60 days! China has prioritized and expedited vaccines provision to T&T. My heartfelt thanks to all people and agencies making this possible. I’m sure these timely vaccines will assist with TT's mass vaccination drive, especially as it’s reopening its borders. Standing together, we can end this pandemic soon.”

The figure the ambassador announced is higher than what the Prime Minister said was ordered in June. On June 12, Dr Rowley said 500,000 were ordered, with 200,000 doses arriving on June 14.

TT received 100,000 doses as a donation from China in May.

On July 3, Rowley said the final batch of 33,660 doses of vaccines from Covax, which were supposed to arrive on July 14, were again delayed until August.

Last week, the Ministry of Health announced it will open up vaccination at all health centres in mid-July as the country gets more vaccines. The plan is to accommodate the vaccination of 300,000 people in the shortest possible time frame. The aim is to vaccinate 188,900 people by the end of the month.

Additionally the first tranche of the 800,000 vaccines bought from the Africa Medical Supply Platform and 200,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine, should arrive in mid-July rather than August.