THE consignment of vaccines from COVAX previously scheduled to arrive this month has been delayed until July, Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony disclosed during his COVID-19 update on Thursday.

“We were expecting those vaccines by the middle of June. Unfortunately, COVAX has written to us to say that there is a delay in that shipment and now they’re scheduled to send those shipments in July,” he told the Department of Public Information (DPI).

Guyana has received doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX facility.

The Health Minister also reported that the government has already paid for the shipment of vaccines from the African Union, and is currently engaged in finalising shipment details.

“We have paid for the Johnson and Johnson vaccines, and we are currently now engaged with them to look at possible dates, and when those shipments will occur.”

The government has also purchased 100,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which is expected to arrive in the country by the end of this month, the DPI has reported.

The DPI also noted that the government is sparing no effort in ensuring that enough vaccines are procured for the country’s adult population. In addition to the vaccines that have been purchased, Guyana has received vaccine donations from Barbados, India and China.