— first set of frontline health workers receive ‘jabs’, no adverse reactions recorded
— pandemic ‘turning’ around, health minister says

EXACTLY one month before the first ‘anniversary’ of Guyana’s first recorded COVID-19 case, healthcare workers at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and those at the National Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, received the first dose of the Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

These frontline workers were the first to receive the vaccines since they are at a higher risk of contracting the novel coronavirus from patients and visitors. There are approximately 300 frontline, medical workers at the two health facilities.

“The GPHC has been at the forefront in the managing of COVID-19 patients since the inception. My staff has been brave and courageous working with these patients even though the uncertainty and fear existed,” GPHC Director of Medical and Professional Services, Dr. Fawcett Jeffery said.

“We are really happy to know that today we can give them what is necessary, so that they can continue in assisting us in the fight against COVID-19,” he highlighted.

And so, on Thursday, vaccination for COVID-19 officially began with the distribution of the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine. The vaccines used were donated by Barbados after that country was able to secure 100,000 doses from India earlier in the week.

Pharmacist at the GPHC, Brinnet Bernarai was the first Guyanese to receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. She was surrounded by many of her colleagues, officials from the Ministry of Health and members of the media who were eager to capture the very first administration of these vaccines.

As she waited for the vaccines to arrive, Frontline Doctor, who works in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Christopher Hochan, kept her company. Soon after 09:00 hours, the vaccine carriers, which allowed the vaccines to be stored at an adequately cold temperature, were brought to the vaccination room at the GPHC.

The pharmacist was given a vaccination card, which is particularly important as she is required to take a second dose of the vaccine in about three weeks’ time or sometime after if the health guidelines provided for the dosage schedule is modified.

As she walked into the room with all eyes on her, she was provided with basic information on the vaccine and what potential side effects she could experience. Subsequently, the vaccine dose was taken out of the carrier, inserted into the syringe and finally, inserted into Bernarai’s arm.

As part of the standard protocols instituted, Bernardai was required to sit down for 15 to 20 minutes. During that time, she would be monitored for any adverse reactions or side-effects to the vaccine. Common side-effects include redness and/or soreness at the site of the injection. Fortunately, she did not experience any concerning side-effects and was able to return to her duties.

The Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine, reportedly, has an efficacy of 62 per cent. However, it is also reportedly 90 per cent efficacious with a lower dose than the required two doses.

The Guyana Chronicle was subsequently informed that there were no adverse reactions recorded among any of the healthcare workers who were vaccinated, but at the time the information was provided, all reports had not yet been received.

‘TURNING AROUND’

Following Bernardo’s ‘jab’, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, highlighted, “This might look like a very simple moment but it marks what I would say is the beginning of the turning around of this pandemic in Guyana.”

He said that it is the ministry’s intention to ensure that all 22,000 health workers, both in the public and private sectors, are vaccinated and protected from COVID-19. It is expected that by the end of month, most of these workers will be vaccinated.

Subsequently, once Guyana has been able to secure more vaccine doses from the various bodies and countries it is engaging, vaccination of other frontline workers such as the joint services, the elderly and persons diagnosed with comorbidities (other underlying health conditions such as diabetes and hypertension) will be done.

“Our intention is to ensure that we get to herd immunity,” Dr. Anthony said. Herd immunity will occur once about 80 per cent of the population is immune to the disease. Vaccination is a way of ensuring immunisation.

As such, Dr. Anthony indicated that efforts are being made to secure vaccines for the entire adult population in a short period.

‘VACCINE HESITANCY’

Though Thursday’s vaccination drive was symbolic, there were few healthcare workers, who were eligible to receive the vaccines but did not take this first dose of the vaccine. Many of them had concerns over the short time in which these vaccines were developed, how long immunity would last and generally, whether the vaccines were safe.

These concerns are not unique to Guyana. In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that vaccine hesitancy — which is a delay in the acceptance or outright refusal of vaccines despite the availability of vaccination services — as a threat to global public health.

This sense of hesitancy, the WHO reported, may be driven by complacency, lack of confidence, fear and misinformation.

Dr. Anthony has consistently emphasised that vaccination will not be mandatory but encouraged persons to get vaccinated since it will help to protect individuals from the virus.

Nevertheless, on Thursday, he did acknowledge that a recently completed study indicated that there are some groups of people who are indeed reluctant to take the vaccines, or at least, take these vaccines now. Though he did not state who the individuals encompassed in these groups are, he related that the ministry could engage in focus group sessions to understand what factors are driving this hesitancy, among groups of people.

Meanwhile, later that day, Head of Medical Services at the GPHC, Dr. Mahendra Carpen, noted that healthcare workers have “real concerns over these vaccines” which is understandable, since COVID-19 and the medical approaches to the disease, have only been around for a short while.

“I can understand the fear that people may have but when we look at the scientific evidence, the scientific scrutiny and everything that is presented, it’s very clear that the benefits outweigh the risk…. and that is what we look for in every medication, in every new medical device,” he said.

Dr. Carpen was among the many healthcare workers who took the vaccine on Thursday and he simply said this was so because he was “comfortable” with the ratio of benefits to risks. At about five hours after receiving the vaccine, he reported that he had operated on a few patients and did not feel any side-effects.

“I still have feelings in my fingers,” he half-joked, while flexing his fingers. “I can still smell, I can still see out of both eyes, I don’t have any of the known side effects and I don’t feel any different today than I felt yesterday.”

Over at the Liliendaal hospital, Dr. Dave Persaud, a doctor who was been working in the COVID-19 ICU since March, also related that his decision to take the vaccine was informed by his reasoning that the benefits outweighed the risk.

Dr. Persaud was keen an advocating for the use of the vaccines since he has seen the devastating impact of COVID-19 – i.e., the loss of lives.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion, when you think of the risk of COVID-19 versus protecting against it, there is no second guessing,” Dr. Persaud said.