China approves COVID-19 vaccines for Guyana – Gov’t

The Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said China has approved some 20,000 COVID-19 vaccines for Guyana.

The announcement was made hours after the Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd held talks with China’s Charge d’Affaires Chen Xilai on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Minister Todd, expressed sincere appreciation on behalf of Government and noted that the vaccines will significantly aid Government’s effort to combat the COVID-19 virus.

The Charge d’Affaires conveyed that the vaccines are expected to be shipped as soon as March. He also added that, Guyana is among 38 countries that will receive the Sinopharm vaccine.

China has made significant contributions to Guyana’s development since the establishment of diplomatic relations on June 27, 1972. This is evident from several programmes, including the attachment of Chinese doctors to the nation’s hospitals as well as the implementation of a number of major infrastructural projects. This donation is another tangible demonstration of the importance of the bilateral relationship between Guyana and China.

Through COVAX, Guyana is expected to receive some 104,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Guyana. Approximately 52,000 persons are expected to benefit from this first quota of the vaccine.

Of that number, 22,000 will be frontline workers while the remainder of the vaccines will go to elderly and persons with co-morbidities.