Hope is swelling in Trinidad and Tobago as the COVAX Facility completed its first shipment of anti-coronavirus (COVID-19) AstraZeneca vaccines on Tuesday (March 30).

COVAX, which made a previous stop in The Bahamas earlier today, handed over its batch of 33,600 doses at the Piarco International Aiport, arriving at about 6:00 pm local time.

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, on hand to collect the vaccines on behalf of a grateful Trinidad, was brimming with excitement, adding that distribution is expected to begin next Tuesday.

According to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) COVAX delivery itinerary, Trinidad wasn’t due its shipment until Wednesday alongside Belize, however, the earlier delivery is being welcomed in the twin-island republic.

It is Trinidad and Tobago’s first tranche of vaccine since the Mia Mottley administration donated 2,000 AstraZeneca doses in mid-February. The shots were among India’s 100,000 vaccine gift to Barbados.

Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas join Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica as the five Caribbean countries to receive COVAX vaccine shipements to date.

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