Mexico increases COVID vaccine gift to Jamaica over 65,000 jabs

Jamaica: Mexico has increased its donation of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Jamaica to a total allocation of 65,000 jabs. This was revealed today by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith, who showed that they would be delivered to Kingston (capital of Jamaica) this week. Last week, it was declared that 35,000 jabs were being gifted to the nation. “Further to engagements with the Mexican Foreign Ministry, and in particular, conversations with Deputy Minister Delgado Peralta, we now have an agreement for almost double the amount to be delivered to Kingston by the Government of Mexico,” said Johnson Smith in a statement. She continued, “We, therefore, express our even greater appreciation to Mexico for their generosity. We note in particular that although both Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard and Deputy Minister Delgado are at G20 meetings, they ensured that arrangements would be completed this week.” She indicated that the foreign ministries are working together with the support of Jamaica's new Ambassador to Mexico, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the National Health Fund. Johnson Smith reminded that Mexico currently holds the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and in that capacity, has donated supplies of vaccines to several countries in the region. She stated that engagements within the context of CELAC were productive and representative of the great possibilities that can be realised through South-South and Regional Cooperation. Notably, Jamaica has hit the grim milestone of over 1,000 COVID-19-related deaths, and sadly, we are not out of the woods of the pandemic as yet, given the discovery of the highly contagious coronavirus Delta variant. The Delta variant was 1st found in India in December 2020 and has since been identified in over 85 countries. Also, World Health Organization (WHO) has articulated an alarm that the Delta variant is significantly more contagious than the other coronavirus variants that wreaked havoc over the globe in 2020.

Mexico increases COVID vaccine gift to Jamaica over 65,000 jabs

Latest

Related Articles