Through the global “COVAX” program, Lebanon got a new shipment of the “AstraZeneca” vaccination against Covid-19 on Monday, containing 129,600 doses.

COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, or COVAX, is a global initiative led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, or GAVI), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organization to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines (WHO). COVAX coordinates international resources to ensure equal access to COVID-19 diagnostics, medicines, and vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. COVAX will have 165 countries, representing 60% of the world’s population, by July 15, 2020.

Caretaker Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hassan, said that Lebanon was cooperating closely with its local and international partners to ensure that safe and effective vaccines are rolled out across Lebanon as quickly as possible. “Recent studies have shown the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine against the new Delta variant. There is no doubt that the new shipment of the vaccine has arrived at the right time, as we continue to strengthen our efforts to vaccinate the largest possible number of the population to enable them to acquire immunity, thus contributing to reducing the number of infections and controlling the pandemic,” Hassan explained.