Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves says St Vincent and the Grenadines has given away 10,000 Astra Zeneca vaccines.
Gonsalves said the vaccines are set to expire at the end of October 2021.
He said the vaccines were given to three Caribbean nations. Gonsalves, however, did not mention the territories to which the vaccines were assigned.
Gonsalves said he had received calls from two Caribbean Prime Ministers asking if they had Pfizer vaccines to spare.
The Prime Minister said the United States has been asking about the uptake of the Pfizer vaccine, as they are getting ready to deliver the second tranche to various countries; however, SVG is not in a position to receive such.
“Would it be available when we want it, we are talking about getting vaccines, but it may not be readily available when we want it”.
Gonsalves said it appears that SVG has given away more vaccines than the country has used.
“We have used, according to the stats, over 30,000 doses. I just want to advise citizens please take the vaccine. In CARICOM, Haiti is at the bottom, followed by Jamaica, then us”.
“People want to shift blame now as to why the vaccines are not being taken, it’s not the fault of the Gov’t neither the Ministry of Health. The information is there why people should take the vaccines”.
“I spoke with Antigua’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne, he said there has been a tremendous uptake of the vaccines since strong mandates have been put in place. We are nowhere near their numbers on a daily basis”.
Gonsalves said if things continue as they are, there would be more deaths.
Health officials on Sunday said the country had recorded five more deaths, bringing the toll to 38 since the start of the pandemic.
There are currently Fifty-one persons hospitalised for COVID-19 at various isolation centres.
One thousand two hundred and eighty-six (1286) cases are currently active.
Four thousand and ninety-six (4096) cases of COVID-19 and two thousand, six hundred and ninety-three (2693) recoveries have been recorded in St. Vincent and the Grenadines since March 2020.
