Vaccines are loaded into refrigerated trucks after 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines donated by United States Government via COVAX’s dose-sharing mechanism arrived at Armando Escalón Espinal Air Base, San Pedro Sula Airport, Honduras on June 27, 2021

1.5M COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Arrive in Honduras via COVAX

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A fleet of refrigerated trucks emblazoned with the flag of Honduras lined up to receive an air shipment of 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines at Armando Escalón Espinal Air Base, San Pedro Sula Airport, Honduras on June 27, 2021. 

"UNICEF welcomes the first United States government donation of COVID-19 vaccines via COVAX’s dose-sharing mechanism, arriving today in Honduras, and calls for more largescale vaccine donations, in particular to hard-hit Latin America and the Caribbean," said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

Refrigerated trucks on the road from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula, in Honduras, to transport 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines donated by United States Government to Honduras via COVAX’s dose-sharing mechanism on June 27, 2021..

 

"With only less than 62,000 Hondurans reportedly fully vaccinated, these 1.5 million doses of vaccine represent long-awaited relief to Honduras, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Latin America," said Gough. "Moreover, these doses are a glimmer of hope to the region and all countries waiting anxiously for COVAX doses. The United States should be applauded for stepping up to support Honduras, the region and the world."

More than 30 percent of the world's COVID-19 deaths are now found in Latin America and the Caribbean, where cases are soaring, even among younger age groups. Less than 11 percent of the hard-hit region is fully vaccinated. Below, UNICEF Representative in Honduras Mark Connolly (third from left) joined government, diplomatic and UN officials on the tarmac to celebrate the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine doses. 

 

UNICEF Representative in Honduras, Mark Connolly, alongside Government, UN and Diplomatic officials during the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines donated by United States Government to Honduras via COVAX’s dose-sharing mechanism on June 27, 2021.

 

"We're very happy to be here for the 1.5 million vaccines donated through COVAX by the United States government," said Connolly. "This will save many lives and it proves that there can be justice in vaccination, with equality for countries like Honduras." 

 

Arrival of 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines donated by United States Government to Honduras via COVAX’s dose-sharing mechanism on June 27, 2021 in Armando Escalón Espinal Air Base, San Pedro Sula Airport, Honduras.

 

The shipment is part of 80 million doses the U.S. government has pledged to share with other countries around the world either directly or via the COVAX Facility. Some 14 million doses were earmarked for Latin American and Caribbean countries including Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, Dominican Republic, Panama and Costa Rica.

Your generous contribution will support UNICEF's work as a key partner in the historic COVAX COVID-19 vaccine rollout around the world. Please donate today.

Learn more about how UNICEF has been working to protect children in Honduras from the effects of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. 

Top photo: Vaccines are loaded into refrigerated trucks after 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the United States government via COVAX’s dose-sharing mechanism arrived at Armando Escalón Espinal Air Base, San Pedro Sula Airport, Honduras on June 27, 2021. © UNICEF/UN0481107/Villatoro. Video by Tong Su for UNICEF USA.