COVID Vaccines Donated to Belize; Are You Getting Vaccinated?

For many, it has been out of sight and out of mind, but COVID is still very real – new cases are being detected and patients are accessing medical facilities. Belize was recently the recipient of a donation of Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccines from the government of the Netherlands. The donation was delivered by Belize’s Honorary Consul to the Netherlands Vanessa Retreage to the Director of Public Health and Wellness, Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa. Today, when the media caught up with Minister Kevin Bernard, we asked what everyone else is thinking. Are people even getting vaccinated?

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

“We have to remember that COVID still is here, you know. Yes we might think it is not here, but at the same time there are people who still wanting to get their booster shots, there are people who only had maybe only one dose and still want to get their second dose. And that’s one of the reasons why when you look at the amount, we did not get – even though they offered thousands upon thousands – we only had requested and agreed to a certain amount. For the same reason, the reluctancy and we are trying to make sure that it is available and it is free – no cost to the Belizean people, but will be made available to those who want to get their third booster or their fourth booster. I am not saying that it is going to waste. There are people who do call and if you look at the Ministry of Health Facebook page cause I get messages as well through the page. You have people asking where can I get my vaccine? Where can I go and get my booster. So there are needs. There are people who are coming. We just want to make sure that you can’t go and say a major issue happen, another variant pop up and then yo come and say but why unu neva get vaccine. That’s the reason.”