COVID-19 Haiti Update
For the past year and a half, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc all over the world. Recorded cases skyrocketed in early 2020, and increasing death rates hit many countries hard. From the beginning, however, Haiti demonstrated low infection and death rates. Officials attribute this surprising statistic to a variety of factors:
Haiti's average age is 23, and the virus tends to be less severe in younger people.
It is also possible Haitians were infected last summer but were asymptomatic, resulting in low recorded case numbers.
Among the various issues that plague Haitians, including poverty, political instability, kidnapping, corruption, and armed gangs, COVID-19 was not high on their list of concerns.
Fast forward to 2021. Haiti is seeing a wave of recorded infections, causing officials to become more concerned, and some hospitals are quickly reaching capacity. According to the World Health Organization, Haiti has seen 16,662 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 358 deaths.
Unfortunately, testing availability remains low, and there is no access to any vaccine yet. Masks can cost around 50 cents, which is quite expensive for people who earn only 1-2 dollars a day.
Haiti is the only country remaining in the Americas not to have given any COVID-19 vaccines to its citizens, although they are supposed to receive a shipment sometime soon, according to the WHO Pan American Health Organization. However, there remains some concern that citizens won't get vaccinated even after the vaccine is available. Health care in Haiti is not something most people living and working there can afford. It can also be challenging to reach a clinic for fear of traveling through high crime areas. Virus misinformation is rapidly spreading, causing further distrust among the Haitian people.
If you would like to help Consider Haiti in our mission to support local families by providing masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, please consider becoming a monthly partner or making a one-time donation below.
Consider Haiti, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible.