COVID-19 Vaccination for Children?

Michel Chebat

The Minister of Health and Wellness has once again made an appeal for teachers to get inoculated.  Currently about forty-seven percent of the teaching population has received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  There is also a campaign to get more Belizeans vaccinated, while working with the business community and opening up phase-four of the vaccination rollout exercise.  But with an increasing number of children testing positive, Minister Chebat was asked if the government is considering offering vaccines to children. 

Michel Chebat, Minister of Health & Wellness

“We started in the thousand when we just began per day, which was great. I can tell you that we are averaging anywhere between five to six hundred. Yesterday we had a pretty good day; we had over eight hundred and seventy people vaccinated yesterday. Now what we are doing is we are teaming up with some of our businesses to provide incentives to people who get out and get vaccinated. We are also looking to see how we can ease up, how we can allow people who have been fully vaccinated some other measures of freedom – so to speak – that those who have not yet been vaccinated would not be allowed to enjoy. In terms of vaccination of young people, you will know that Pfizer is one of the vaccines that has been approved for children between twelve to eighteen years old and so we are actively looking to see how we can acquire some. Obviously the next phase of vaccination has to be that age group.”

Marleni Cuellar, Host, Open Your Eyes

“What phase are we right now for the rollout?”

Michel Chebat

“We are at phase three. We are planning to open up phase four shortly and I expect in the couple weeks. That’s going to happen.”