Dominica only country in the world to vaccinate 50% of its population

With a population of around 71,800, the Commonwealth of Dominica to become the world’s first country to vaccinate over 50% population (Double Doses) against the COVID-19 pandemic

Tuesday, 9th February 2021

Dominica: With a population of around 71,800, the Commonwealth of Dominica to become the world’s first country to vaccinate over 50% population (Double Doses) against the COVID-19 pandemic and to cover 100% of the population if the country gives single jabs. PM terms it the largest vaccine campaign of modern history. On Tuesday, Dominica received over 70,000 jabs of Covishield from India under the Maitri initiative. Under the auspices of Oxford AstraZeneca, the vaccine is wholly manufactured in India’s Serum Institute and had dispatched two consignments on Sunday, one for Dominica and another for Barbados.

Dominica is all set to make revolutionary feet against the global pandemic as it will initiate the vaccination drive by February 22, 2021. According to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the most vulnerable will receive the vaccine first, including frontline workers. He also added that he would be the first person to get the jab of Covishield if the government allows him to do so and he will stay in the queue to take the vaccine as like any other resident of the country.

During a press briefing after receiving the Vaccine supply from India, PM Skerrit said that 35,000 Dominicans would be vaccinated by April 2021. Referring to India he added, “Your vaccines will allow us to move forward with renewed hope and optimism, and to reignite the many projects that Covid-19 pandemic has negatively impacted.”

“In our 41 years of diplomatic relations, Dominica and India have built a solid foundation of cooperation, with India having contributed to capacity building in Dominica, supplied medicine to public hospitals, and provided humanitarian relief in the wake of natural disasters,” PM asserted.

About 92 countries around the world had written to the Indian Prime Minister seeking vaccine even if it is paid, but due to strong international relations of PM Skerrit, Dominica is able to acquire over 70k vaccine jabs from India that too free of cost. Currently, Dominica has only 13 active cases with no casualties so far. PM Skerrit's wise administration has proved that any nation with possible restrictions can tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, and international relations with India make the mark as Dominica skipped the queue of other 92 countries requesting vaccine from India.

Indian Minister of External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishankar expressed his happiness as "India stood by her friends at this time of need. It is particularly gratifying to learn that Dominica is one of the first countries in the Caribbean to benefit by the vaccination programme."

According to information, about all the Caribbean countries had reached out to India seeking vaccine delivery. Yet, Barbados and Dominica are the only ones managing to procure the Covishield vaccine to immunize their population against the global pandemic.

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Apart from this, India has provided vaccines to many of its neighboring countries, including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and is now planning to export them to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, and Mongolia, among other countries.