NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis, the Hon. Renward Wells, Minister of Health, and other officials received the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccine – also known as Covishield -- at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

The vaccines arrived Wednesday, March 10, 2021 on United Airlines.

Also present were: the Minister Foreign Affairs the Hon Darren Henfield; National Immunization Manager Nurse Ruth Bastian; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pearl McMillian; Bahamas High Commissioner to India Lowell Mortimer; and President of the Bahamas India Association Dr. Anupama Jacob.

The 20,000 doses are a gift from the Government of India, as was confirmed by the Prime Minister in his National Address on Sunday, March 7, 2021.

The vaccines were pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and received Emergency Use Listing (EUL) approval by the WHO. The vaccines have also received certification from the Caribbean Regulatory System (CRS).

The vaccines are to be stored at the National Immunization Cold Storage Facility in New Providence and transferred to other islands as required.

The facility has the capacity to safely store hundreds of thousands of vaccines. To ensure maximum security, facility will be under 24-hour guard by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

The Prime Minister had said that those eligible to receive first doses will be healthcare workers in the public and private sectors, residents and staff of eldercare homes and non-ambulatory residents registered in the public health system.   (BIS Photos/Kristaan Ingraham)