COVID-19 vaccine deployment has spread to the Americas, reports PAHO Director – World

March 10, 2021

“Nearly 2.3 million doses of COVAX will arrive in at least seven countries in our region in the coming days and weeks.”

Washington, DC, March 10, 2021 (PAHO) – PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne welcomed the expansion of COVID-19 vaccine deployment in the Americas and indicated that PAHO is working closely with member countries to “accelerate access” across the region.

The Bahamas have received their first COVID-19 vaccines, thanks to the Indian government’s donation of 20,000 doses of the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, Dr Etienne said during his weekly press briefing. Peru is expected to receive its first shipments of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine today through COVAX, the global mechanism to ensure equitable access to vaccines, regardless of country income or the size of their economies.

On March 1, Colombia became the first country in the region to receive vaccines through COVAX. “Today, these doses are being delivered to at-risk groups, including indigenous communities in the Amazon region of the country,” she said.

Dr Etienne reported on the imminent arrivals of vaccines provided by COVAX. “Thanks to our collective efforts, nearly 2.3 million doses of COVAX will arrive in at least seven countries in our region in the coming days and weeks,” she said. Countries include Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica and Nicaragua as well as Peru.

Thirty-six countries in the Americas receive vaccines through COVAX.

“Over the past week, our Revolving Fund has worked closely with Member States to accelerate access to COVID vaccines,” she added, referring to the PAHO mechanism that many countries the region use to procure vaccines.

For more than 40 years, the Revolving Fund has helped countries in the Americas immunize their populations against debilitating or life-threatening diseases such as polio, measles, yellow fever, bacterial pneumonia, influenza, and human papillomavirus ( HPV). The Revolving Fund enables countries to pool their resources to purchase vaccines, syringes and related supplies at a lower cost.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Revolving Fund is representing countries in the region with COVAX, helping them procure vaccines through the mechanism. The revolving fund receives advance payments from countries, negotiates with manufacturers, and places orders on behalf of nations. If necessary, the Revolving Fund works with countries to provide financial credits to facilitate purchases. PAHO also manages the logistics of vaccine procurement and delivery, including shipping.

“The challenge now is to continue to speed up deliveries to countries that have not yet received doses of COVAX to ensure that all countries receive their first installments of vaccine this month,” said Dr Etienne.

“PAHO is doing its part to help countries secure and deliver vaccines safely and as quickly as possible, but manufacturing limitations, low supply, and high demand for vaccines make this an uncertain situation,” he said. she continued. “We have to be patient, but we persist in our quest for these vaccines. In the meantime, we need everyone to work together as we work to keep ourselves, our families and our communities safe. “

Dr Etienne provided an update on the impact of the pandemic in the Americas, drawing attention to the increase in cases in South America.

Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile report an increase in infection. In Brazil, cases are increasing in almost all states. During the past week, Brazil suffered its deadliest day since the start of the pandemic, with 1,910 COVID-related deaths reported in 24 hours. In the state of Amazonas, which has been particularly affected, a new variant discovered late last year has led to a surge of COVID-19. The overwhelmed health care system continues to suffer from widespread shortages of medical supplies, including oxygen.

“We are concerned about the situation in Brazil,” said Dr Etienne. “He soberly recalls the threat of resurgence. Areas severely affected by the virus in the past are still vulnerable to infection today. “

As Brazil grapples with a resurgence, the United States, Canada and Mexico continue to report declining cases. All over Central America, countries are reporting a decline in infection. In the Caribbean, cases are on the decline in the larger islands, although infection is increasing in Cuba, Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Guadeloupe.

Over the past week, the Americas have reported more than one million cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to nearly 52 million. More than 1.2 million have died from the disease.