GUYANA, on Monday, received a consignment of 67,537 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, another quota of the 200,000 it purchased from the Russian Federation to protect citizens from the pervasive COVID-19 pandemic.

This shipment, which arrived on an Amerijet aircraft at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), brings Guyana closer to achieving herd immunity.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during Monday’s edition of the COVID-19 update, urged the nation to capitalise on the opportunity to get inoculated against the severe form of COVID-19.

He noted that the government has taken steps to secure vaccines to safeguard the nation’s health, but the onus remains on individuals to obtain their vaccine.
To this end, Minister Anthony reminded persons who have taken the first doses of the Sinopharm, Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines to be cognisant of their return dates so as to take take their second doses at the specified time.

He noted that it is important that persons take their second doses when due to ensure the effectiveness of the vaccines.
It was last reported that more than 27,000 people have received both doses of their COVID-19 vaccines.

Additionally, it was noted that a total of 166,950 people or 34.3 per cent of the targeted adult population have received their first dose of one of the three COVID-19 vaccines distributed locally.
There are about 100 fixed vaccination sites across the country, and local health authorities have also been conducting various outreach sessions to make the vaccination process easier for people.