–during second round of ‘drive-thru’ vaccination campaign

HEAVY rainfall during the course of the day did not prevent persons from turning up in the hundreds to be vaccinated against the deadly COVID-19 virus, at the second ‘drive thru’ event hosted at the National Stadium, Providence, East Bank of Demerara, on Wednesday.
The second ‘drive thru’ vaccination activity was a result of the positive public response to the inaugural vaccination ‘drive thru’ event, which was held on Saturday last.
At the first event, some 1,071 persons received either their first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
On Wednesday, when the Guyana Chronicle visited the National Stadium, employees of the Ministry of Health, who are responsible for the administration of the vaccines, as well as persons interested in being inoculated against the COVID-19 virus, weathered the heavy rainfall to see the event through.
And despite the heavy downpour, the lines of vehicles with persons desirous of being vaccinated against the virus by receiving either the first or second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Russian-manufactured Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccines, stretched all the way to the public road. Jailall Briglall, from Grove, East Bank of Demerara, was administered his first shot on Wednesday. He told the Guyana Chronicle that he learnt of the ‘drive thru’ event through an advertisement by the Ministry of Health, and not even the weather could have stopped him from receiving his ‘jab’.

“It’s 100 per cent better than walking in the health centre and have to sit and wait… this is a better move the ministry have made in order to get citizens and persons vaccinated… the ‘drive thru’ tackles the weather, it tackles time, convenience, everything,” he said. Michael Young, of Eccles, East Bank of Demerara, received his second dose at the ‘drive thru’ event; his first shot was administered at the Ministry of Health’s Secretariat at Brickdam, Georgetown.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that he was quite satisfied with the ‘drive thru’ process, noting that while the walk-in process was efficient as well, the ‘drive thru’ is more comfortable.
Ashmead Mohammed travelled all the way from Mon Repos, on the East Coast of Demerara to get vaccinated at the ‘drive thru’ vaccination site. He received his second dose.
Mohammed spoke about the convenience of the ‘drive thru’ process while acknowledging the efficiency of the walk-in process as well.
The novel and innovative ‘drive thru’ vaccination site seeks to make the vaccination process more accessible and convenient, and persons who do not have access to a vehicle can still be vaccinated at these events. The Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, had explained at the first ‘drive thru’ event that it served as a pilot activity to test the feasibility of whether similar initiatives can be implemented throughout the country.