[UPDATED] 800,000 vaccines arrive in Trinidad and Tobago

The 800,000 Sinopharm vaccines purchased from China arrived in TT at approximately 12.21 pm on Tuesday. The Health Ministry said the vaccines would be used to accelerate the implementation of the national covid19 vaccine deployment plan.

In a release, the ministry said the vaccines were sourced from the Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd. It said two doses of the Sinopharm vaccine were required for optimal protection against the virus, which means that 400,000 people can be fully vaccinated in the upcoming months.

“This is a monumental step forward in the fight against covid19 and provides the platform needed to preserve both lives and livelihoods. While these vaccines will expire on June 8, 2023, plans are already underway to administer these covid19 vaccines to key categories of people in the population in the shortest timeframe that allows for efficient deployment.”

The vaccines were received by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne and Chinese Ambassador to TT Fang Qui.

In a post on his Facebook page, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne showed video of the plane landing as well as on the runway at the Piarco International Airport.

He said, “The Alitalia (Boeing 777) aircraft has just landed in TT with 800,000 doses of WHO-approved Sinopharm vaccines acquired for the people of our nation.”

Fang expressed his satisfaction at the arrival in a post on Facebook.

“800,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines delivered! This is the largest batch of covid19 vaccines to the region, adding the total of donation and procurement of Chinese vaccines in TT to 1.1 million doses. I believe it will facilitate T&T's massive vaccination drive and reopening. China is committed to contributing to global vaccine accessibility and standing with TT to end this pandemic soon!

The ministry said the government of TT remains committed to safeguarding the health of the population and will continue to provide safe and effective World Health Organization (WHO) approved covid19 vaccines for the people of TT.

Speaking at a media conference on July 4, Deyalsingh outlined a rollout plan which would vaccinate approximately 263,000 people. He said 100,000 vaccines would be distributed to the 109 health centres across the countries, with another 15,000 vaccines to be distributed to 64 sentinel physicians who assist the government with other vaccinations.

He said vaccines would be allocated to various groups and sectors. The groups include Tobago, the Unemployment Relief and Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programmes, the prison population, public transport, agriculture, the Ministry of Education, and other ministries.

Deyalsingh said the supermarket, pharmacy, manufacturing, construction, and banking sectors would receive additional allocations of vaccines. The food and beverage sector, janitorial companies, tertiary institutions, religious leaders, funeral homes, the Diabetes Association and Coalition on NCDs, as well as special groups such as the blind, deaf, and those with autism and cerebral palsy would also be allocated vaccines.

More mass vaccination sites would be added to the existing ones at the Divali Nagar and the Super Market Association. These were the Diego Martin Sporting Complex, the National Academy for the Performing Arts, UTT Corinth Campus, Penal Power Generation Facility, Couva/Pt Lisas Chamber of Commerce building in Couva, and one to be confirmed in Tunapuna.

The vaccines were taken from the airport to a secure storage facility.

This is the third shipment of Sinopharm vaccines to arrive in TT. The first shipment of 100,000 vaccines was a gift from the Chinese government which arrived on May 19. The second shipment of 200,000 vaccines was bought by the government and arrived in TT on June 14.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The 800,000 Sinopharm vaccines from China arrived in Trinidad and Tobago at approximately 12:21 pm on Tuesday.

In a post on his Facebook page, Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne showed video of the plane landing as well as on the runway at the Piarco International Airport. He said,

“The Alitalia (Boeing 777) aircraft has just landed in TT with 800,000 doses of WHO-approved Sinopharm vaccines acquired for the people of our nation.”

The Health Ministry also shared video of the plane landing.

Chinese Ambassador to TT Fang Qui said 800,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines had been delivered.

"The third batch in a row in less than 60 days, adding the total of donation and procurement of Chinese vaccines in TT to 1.1 million doses. China is committed to contributing to global vaccine accessibility and standing with TT to end this pandemic soon!"

This is the third shipment of Sinopharm vaccines to arrive in TT. The first shipment of 100,000 vaccines was a gift from the Chinese government which arrived on May 19. The second shipment of 200,000 vaccines was bought by the government and arrived in TT on June 14.