Flu Vaccine in Country

While Monday’s Ask the Experts webcast focused primarily on COVID-19 and the protocols in place for the reopening of the P.G.I.A., Doctor Marvin Manzanero took the opportunity to discuss the availability of the vaccine for the corona virus when it becomes available sometime next year.  The DHS says that they are being told that each country, through the COVAX facility which provides for equitable distribution of vaccines, is only being given vaccines for twenty to thirty percent of its respective population in the first instance. In that same vein, Doctor Manzanero spoke about the flu vaccine that has already arrived in the country and is being prepared for distribution.

Marvin Manzanero

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

“You are going to find information being provided in different platforms throughout the week as to which populations would have first access to the vaccine. But we also want to be able to give you the total number we receive it and the cost that it has so that we can appreciate what is going into those elements of prevention. Belize has also submitted a letter to the COVAX Facility which is the overarching body that is trying to oversee the equitable distribution of vaccines for all countries, especially countries like Belize that’s small in population and doesn’t compete economically as other bigger countries do. But what it aims to do is ensure that everybody has vaccines in real time. We can also note that everybody, every country is being told that in the first instance, you more than likely are only going to be having vaccines for twenty to thirty percent of your population so every country will have to make determination of which twenty to thirty percent of the population would have initial first access. Similar with the flu vaccine we don’t bring vaccines for everybody. We will see what the uptake is this year because in previous years when we have bought, it hasn’t all been used. That’s with the flu vaccine.”