Press Release
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
The United States Embassy in San Jose is pleased to announce the arrival of half a million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses at Juan Santamaria Airport on July 13, donated to Costa Rica by the United States Government as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s global vaccine sharing framework.
The donation of 500,000 COVID-19 doses is in addition to the more than $4 million worth of field hospitals, ventilators, and other medical supplies already donated by the U.S. government to Costa Rica since the beginning of the pandemic. President Biden has said that the United States is committed to bringing the same urgency to international vaccination efforts that we have demonstrated at home. The United States is in a position to help others thanks to the ingenuity of U.S. scientists and the resilience and commitment of the American people.
“We are proud that we can donate these life-saving vaccines as part of our strong partnership with Costa Rica,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Gloria Berbena. “During Secretary Antony Blinken’s visit to Costa Rica last month, he discussed with President Alvarado collaboration to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States has worked closely with Costa Rica since the very beginning of the pandemic to protect the health and safety of our citizens. Together we will overcome the pandemic.”
On June 21, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the distribution of 55 million of the 80 million doses of America’s own vaccine supply which President Biden pledged to allocate by the end of June in service of ending the pandemic globally; the allocation of the other 25 million doses was announced previously. As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world. The United States is using the power of our democracy, the ingenuity of U.S. scientists, and the strength of U.S. manufacturing to beat the pandemic globally.
The United States is proud to partner with Costa Rica to defeat COVID-19. Together, we will continue to build a world that is safer and more secure against the threat of infectious disease.
Summary of Recent U.S. Actions:
- On May 17, the President announced the U.S. will donate 80 million vaccines by the end of June. (Transcript: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/05/17/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-covid-19-response-and-the-vaccination-program-4/)
- On June 3, the White House unveiled its strategy for global vaccine sharing and announced the allocation plan for the first 25 million doses to be shared globally. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/03/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-unveils-strategy-for-global-vaccine-sharing-announcing-allocation-plan-for-the-first-25-million-doses-to-be-shared-globally/)
- On June 10, the President announced that the United States will purchase and donate half a billion Pfizer vaccines to 92 low- and lower middle-income countries and the African Union, an historic action that will help supercharge the global fight against the pandemic. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/10/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-historic-vaccine-donation-half-a-billion-pfizer-vaccines-to-the-worlds-lowest-income-nations/)
- On June 21, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the distribution list for 55 million of the 80 million doses of America’s own vaccine supply President Biden pledged to allocate by the end of June in service of ending the pandemic globally. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/21/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-allocation-plan-for-55-million-doses-to-be-shared-globally/)
- In total, the G7+ will provide more than 2 billion vaccines for the world. (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/13/fact-sheet-united-states-and-g7-partners-will-provide-more-than-2-billion-vaccines-for-the-world/)
- This includes 1 billion doses that were announced at the G7 Summit in June, of which the U.S. will contribute 500 million.
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- (Fact Sheet: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/11/fact-sheet-united-states-and-g7-plan-to-defeat-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-2022-and-prevent-the-next-pandemic/)
- In addition to support for the G7+ commitment on vaccines, the United States will continue to share doses from our domestic supply as they become available.
