Austria has provided Tunisia with important emergency aid by delivering 50,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine following a request made by the Mediterranean country.
Tunisia is in urgent need of vaccines: COVID-related infection and mortality rates are alarmingly high, and many hospitals have reached maximum capacity. To address the imminent shortage, Austria is donating 50,000 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine at short notice.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry and the Austrian Embassy in Tunis swiftly handled the formalities and logistics involved in delivering the urgently needed vaccines together with the Ministry of Health and the Tunisian authorities.
As Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg made clear:
To give quickly is to give double. One thing is certain: During this pandemic, no one is safe until we are all safe. It makes me proud that my team was able to deliver the vaccine to Tunisia so quickly.
The vaccines are being delivered by air freight via Paris, and are expected to reach Tunis as early as Thursday evening. Together with the Austrian doses, Tunisia will also be receiving vaccine from Norway and antigen tests from Malta.
Tunisia is currently experiencing a severe phase of the pandemic. In this situation, it is imperative not to abandon the people of Tunisia, and to act in solidarity,
commented Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein.
