REF# 2021 - 18
July 2, 2021
Today, Ambassador William Popp joined President Giammattei, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pedro Brolo, and Minister of Health Amelia Flores at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City to receive a donation of 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines. The donation by the United States Government of 1.5 million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The direct bilateral donation of vaccines have arrived via a specially formatted American Airlines aircraft that departed Chicago on Thursday, July 8.
This donation will help protect the Guatemalan people from the ravages of COVID-19 and help reduce barriers to building back the Guatemalan economy.
“We are working day and night to deliver doses in Guatemala as quickly as possible to save lives,” said Ambassador William Popp.
These 1.5 million doses are part of the Biden-Harris Administration commitment to share U.S. vaccines with the world. As the United States continues to fight the COVID-19 worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world.
As President Biden said, “From the beginning of my presidency, we have been clear-eyed that we need to attack this virus globally as well. This is about our responsibility — our humanitarian obligation to save as many lives as we can — and our responsibility to our values. We’re going to help lead the world out of this pandemic, working alongside our global partners.”
After landing in La Aurora, the vaccine shipment will be housed in freezers donated last week by the U.S. Government to the Ministry of Health’s biological warehouse in Guatemala City. This vaccine donation by the U.S. Government is a part of a broader strategy to combat the health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
In addition to these vaccine doses, USAID is procuring 940,000 syringes to support the administration of these 1.5M vaccine doses so they can reach the Guatemalan people quickly and safely.
###