THE inclement weather on Saturday did not prevent hundreds of persons from turning up at the First Lady’s COVID-19 vaccination drive on Main Street, in down-town Georgetown.

The First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali, was also present at the event, where she received her second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Speaking to reporters after she was administered her shot, Mrs. Ali hailed the turnout as “tremendous”, noting that many had battled the weather to get inoculated.

Scores of persons over the age of 18 turned up at the vaccination drive, which commenced at 09:00hrs and concluded at 15:00hrs, to receive either their first or second dose of the Sputnik V, Oxford-AstraZeneca or Sinopharm vaccine.

Mrs. Ali explained that she took steps to partner with the Ministry of Health to conduct the vaccination drive subsequent to the President, Dr. Irfaan Ali announcing that there is a 21 per cent vaccination rate among the youth population in Guyana.

“I only see it fitting that, as a youth myself, I should encourage other youths to come out to get vaccinated, so that they could protect themselves and their loved ones,” Mrs. Ali said.
She expressed that it made her “extremely happy” to bear witness to the number of persons who took the time and made the effort to get vaccinated, noting it was a “sign of relief”, as it is a representation that herd immunity may be achieved soon, through more people being vaccinated.

“I think the turnout was tremendous, and I am extremely happy that everyone saw it fitting to come out and support the vaccination drive. And it is some sign of relief; some sign that normalcy is going to happen soon… I am glad that people are coming out and supporting it and are being vaccinated,” the First Lady said.

She took the opportunity to encourage others to make contact with their nearest vaccination site to be administered their COVID-19 vaccine, explaining that vaccination is “safe” and is “the closest thing” which will help to achieve a COVID-19-free environment.

Mrs. Ali said it is her intention to host more vaccination drives in the future, once the relevant permission is granted by the Ministry of Health.

Alesha Rahim, who travelled all the way from the East Coast Demerara to be administered her first dose of the vaccine on Saturday, told the Sunday Chronicle that the process was “pretty efficient”, with “persons there to guide” it along. By way of encouraging others to take the vaccine, Alesha said: “It’s nothing to be afraid of; you’re making a difference.”

As she recalled, “There was a situation where a friend got infected with the virus, and her mom was in the house, but her mom got the vaccine and she was fine. I know the vaccine can’t prevent COVID-19, but it really helps to make a difference.”

Devi Ramnarine, 21, told the Sunday Chronicle that she battled her trypanophobia (fear of needles) to be administered her first dose of the vaccine. She noted that she took the vaccine to protect her family.

“I am still scared of needles, but this one, it didn’t hurt; I didn’t even know it went in,” she said.

Roshanie Tularam, of Alexander Village, Georgetown, took her second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on Saturday. She said she did not experience any side effects from her first dose; “not even a fever”, she said, and encouraged others to take the vaccine to “curb the pandemic and reach herd immunity and protect your loved ones”.