Guatemala expects first COVID-19 vaccines in February via COVAX

President Alejandro Giammattei said on Saturday that Guatemala expects to receive its initial COVID-19 vaccines from mid-February onward via the COVAX program backed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In a public broadcast, Giammattei said he had received word from the health ministry that between mid and late February Guatemala would be receiving the first 800,000 doses of vaccine. Co-led by the Gavi vaccine alliance, the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, COVAX aims to deliver 1.3 billion doses of approved vaccines to 92 eligible low- and middle-income nations in 2021.

Guatemala would initially focus on vaccinating front line health staff, workers whose jobs are to recover bodies of COVID-19 victims, people suffering from high-risk diseases and those aged over 75, Giammattei said.