Today, the United States delivered more than 3,000,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to Uzbekistan through COVAX, the international platform to deliver safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines equitably around the world. This is the first time Uzbekistan has received the U.S. manufactured Moderna, two-dose vaccine, administered 28 days apart.
This donation builds upon the $13.8 million in assistance the United States has provided to Uzbekistan to combat the COVID-19 outbreak since March 2020. Through its Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. government has been partnering with the Government of Uzbekistan to fight COVID-19 and save lives in Uzbekistan.
COVAX previously provided 660,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Uzbekistan through funds also provided partially by the U.S. government. The United States has already given $3.5 billion in assistance to COVAX in order to supply the world with vaccines, making the United States the largest contributor worldwide to defeating this virus.
Welcoming the arrival of the 3 million doses, U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Daniel Rosenblum, stated: “This donation represents our commitment to the people of Uzbekistan to remain your enduring partner and friend through crises and challenges. Uzbekistan is not alone in the fight against COVID-19. We will continue to assist the people of Uzbekistan to defeat this virus, and we will get through this crisis together.”
He added: “I have been vaccinated and encourage everyone who is able to get vaccinated to do so. Vaccination not only protects your own health but can also save the lives of others.”
To date, this assistance in Uzbekistan has provided lifesaving supplies and equipment; helped strengthen the national laboratory systems for large-scale testing; prevented and controlled infections in labs and healthcare facilities; improved diagnostic capacity, COVID-19 surveillance and rapid response; enhanced the treatment of infected people; and improved public awareness of COVID-19, community engagement, and volunteer mobilization.
