PAHO Director says 750 million doses administered in Latin American and Caribbean region

Pan American Health Organization – (PAHO) noted that so far, 750 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Caribbean and Latin American region, while more than 3.5 million COVID vaccine doses are all set to arrive in the region by this week.

Assistant Director – Dr Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr, during the weekly press conference, informed that in the administered doses also include Johnson and Johnson.

Director of PAHO – Dr Carissa Etienne noted that these additional vaccine doses would assist the vaccination drive of the Latin American and Caribbean member states. She added that despite this broader vaccine administration, still there are some nations in the region who are having a low coverage rate.

“Less than 20 percent of people have received their required mnumber of doses and are fully vaccinated in Guatemala, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, and vaccination coverage remains in single digits in Nicaragua and Haiti”, PAHO’s director further added.

Besides this, the director cited that where Canada is witnessing a decline in the COVID-19 daily infections, some nations in the Caribbean region, such a – Barbados and the Dominican Republic, is reporting a higher number of infections, which is a matter of concern.

“The Cayman Islands is experiencing its highest incidence of COVID infections to date, and two-thirds of these cases are among the unvaccinated. Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago is witnessing a sharp rise in COVID deaths as ICU (intensive care unit) beds fill with COVID patients,” she added.

Ahead of the festive season, she reminded everyone to follow the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines so as to prevent getting contracted to the deadliest COVID-19 virus.

Dr Etienne concluded by saying that, “It bears repeating that the COVID-19 pandemic is still very active in our region”.