Vaccine for Young People not yet Available in Belize

Melissa Diaz-Musa

The rising COVID numbers are concerning to health officials because they are also seeing that younger people and minors are being infected by the virus. With the reopening of classes planned for just a few more weeks, health officials are contemplating on a vaccine for minors at this time.

Dr. Melissa Diaz-Musa, Deputy Regional Health Manager, Central Health Region

“Currently in the country we still have the4 two vaccines that we’ve had the last few months. We have the AstraZeneca that’s approved for persons eighteen and older. And we also have the Sinopharm vaccine as well and the Sinopharm vaccine is again for persons eighteen and over. We are hopeful that we will soon be able to get a vaccine that we can give to persons under eighteen at this point In addition to that, in preparation with school, we’re in continuous communication with the Ministry of Education and I believe in the next week or the latter part of this week, health education to teachers and visitors to schools will commence. We will form a part of that team – our public health inspectors and other members from the Ministry of Health will join the Ministry of Education to go through preparation prior to schools being open.”

Doctor Melissa Diaz-Musa notes that the number of vaccinated teachers has gone up significantly over the past few weeks as teachers prepare for back to school.