talk | COVID-19: The United States provides 500,000 doses of Moderna vaccine to Haiti

500,000 doses of Moderna vaccines donated by the United States to immunize a total of 250,000 people at a rate of two doses per person arrived early in the evening in Port-au-Prince, Wednesday, July 14, a director from the Novellist Ministry said. Public Health and Population (MSPP), Dr. Laurie Adrian.

“Early evening, we received the first batch of 500,000 doses of Moderna vaccines to vaccinate a total of 250,000 people at a rate of two doses per person,” he said, stressing that “these vaccines are a US government donation” through the Kovacs Initiative. The two doses won’t be given simultaneously, but we must make sure that everyone who receives a first dose can receive a second dose of the same vaccine within a few weeks, said Dr. Laurie Adrian. Dr. Adrian said the arrival of this first shipment of vaccines is the culmination of talks with representatives of Covax, facilitated by the United States.

What about storage?

Storage is not a problem. In addition to the existing storage capacity, adapted to receive Moderna vaccines, received today, last week MSPP received a special freezer donation aimed at increasing the storage capacity of Pfizer vaccines that require very high temperature. Low, minus 80 degrees Celsius, the MSPP general manager added. “We should receive Pfizer vaccines in the coming months,” he said.

What about vaccination?

“Mass-scale vaccinations – if we can put it that way – will start soon. We will gradually begin to prioritize health workers, the elderly and people with co-morbidities, and then expand access to all groups without established contraindications and volunteers for immunization,” said Dr. Laurie Adrian.

Alphonse Roberson