APPROXIMATELY 124,000 people have received the first dose of one of three COVID-19 vaccines being distributed across the country here, according to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, who also highlighted that this means that about 25 per cent of the adult population has been covered.
On Tuesday, during his daily COVID-19 update, he said that since the local health authorities lowered the age of eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine to 18, there has been an influx of people who visited the vaccination sites for their vaccine. All adults older than 18 years were eligible for their COVID-19 vaccine from April 16, just less than two weeks ago. At the time, Guyana had already vaccinated about 70,000 people, using its more than 100 fixed vaccination sites across the country. “We’re now at about 24 or 25 per cent of our adult population being covered with the first dose of the vaccination, and we want that to even be better,” the Health Minister said on Tuesday, adding: “We hope that we can get more people coming out, so that by the end of the week, we can get closer to 50 per cent of the population.” He also noted that about 2,800 people have received both doses of their vaccines, and are now fully immunised against the deadly novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Three vaccines are used locally: The Oxford-AstraZeneca produced by the Serum Institute of India; the Chinese Sinopharm, and the Russian Sputnik V. These vaccines are all given in two doses. “All the vaccines that we have in Guyana are very safe. These vaccines have gone through a process of clinical trials, and they’ve all been found to be efficacious and safe,” Minister Anthony said. While there has been a good turnout of people interested in getting their COVID-19 vaccines, the minister is calling upon the older people in particular to get vaccinated, as they are more vulnerable to the severe effects of COVID-19. He also sought to remind the public that while vaccinations would not necessarily prevent infections, it would prevent people from getting severe symptoms, as well as prevent them from dying. During a recent interview with this newspaper, Adviser to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy sought to assure members of the public that the local health authorities have catered for the second dosage requirement of all vaccinated individuals.
“I wish to make it pellucidly clear, everyone that has had a first dose is guaranteed their second dose,” Dr. Ramsammy said, adding: “And I can say that with confidence, and with 100 per cent assurance, because for every dose we have administered, we have put aside the second dose.”