Arrival of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine in Liberia

Monrovia, 30 July 2021: Liberia has received a donation of 302,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccine consignment arrived in the country on Sunday 25 July 2021 via the Roberts International Airport (RIA).

The vaccine is a donation from the United States Government through the COVAX Facility in collaboration with the African Union and the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

During the handover ceremony, Liberia’s Health Minister Dr. Wilhelmina Jallah thanked the government and people of the United States of America for what she termed “the special gift” and said the arrival of the vaccines into the country was a huge contribution in the fight against COVID-19.

“The third wave of this COVID hit us really hard but with valuable lessons learnt Liberians now wearing masks and washing their hands continuously”, she said.

Dr. Jallah maintained that the J & J Vaccine constitutes a single dose unlike the AstraZeneca Vaccine which contains two doses and warned that individuals who were vaccinated with the first dose of AstraZeneca should not take the J & J vaccine.

Health Minister Dr. Jallah speaking at the arrival ceremony said the vaccine was a donation from the people of America through UNICEF to the people of Liberia.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr. Jallah also disclosed at the ceremony that COVID-19 cases in Liberia was on a decline as compared to June and earlier July as the country now reports 177 active cases as of Saturday 24 July 2021 but encouraged citizens and foreign residents within Liberia’s territory to continue to abide by the health protocols to combat the deadly virus.

Speaking during the handover, U. S. Ambassador to Liberia Michael McCarthy said the decision to send the shipment of the COVAX to Liberia was expressly due to the framework implemented by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) to distribute the first consignment of vaccines and the effective campaigns placed in getting the vaccines to the people quickly and effectively.

“COVID-19 doesn’t stop at any border, to end this pandemic, we must all work together and do our part”. He disclosed that the shipment of the vaccines donated by his Government is also part of the Biden-Harris Administration global efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ambassador McCarthy thanked UNICEF, GAVI and other partners including WHO for their immense help for the organizational and logistical support to ensure the vaccines were delivered into the County.

Also making remarks, UN Resident Coordinator Neils Scott thanked the Government of Liberia through MOH for vaccinating more than 95,000 persons with the first consignment of 96,000 doses of Astrazenaca vaccines donated to Liberia. “The arrival of the vaccines will considerably boost the campaign for vaccinations in the country and will enable us to reach the target that has been set”, Neils emphasized.

Coordinator Scott encouraged Liberians to get involved and take the vaccines to ensure the end of COVID-19 and to put an end to the challenges the country’s economy is faced with.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, partners including UNICEF have been providing support to the Government of Liberia’s efforts in developing a national vaccination plan, cold chain infrastructure as well as stockpiling of syringes and safety boxes for the disposal of masks, gloves and other equipment to ensure health workers effectively carry on their task.