On Wednesday May 12, 2021, Saint Lucia received 26,400 doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine from the COVAX Facility through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This is the second batch of vaccines delivered to Saint Lucia through this mechanism, bringing the total to 50,400 doses. Saint Lucia expects to receive another batch of vaccines soon. According to the Ministry of Health, “this second tranche of vaccines is welcomed, as we work towards ensuring population immunity against COVID-19.”
Saint Lucia began its COVID-19 vaccination programme on February 17, 2021. As of May 13, 2021, 25,939 persons (i.e., 14.2%) have been immunized with the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, while 16,124 (8.7%) persons have been fully vaccinated with two doses of the vaccine.
The Ministry of Health & Wellness says they are pleased with the response, especially during the initial roll-out of the campaign. “The uptake of the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine continues to increase, but at a slow pace. However, there is satisfactory uptake of the second dose of the vaccine. This demonstrates that citizens understand the benefit of being fully vaccinated and the benefit it affords.”