–as rates lag in Region 10, says Health Minister

RESIDENTS of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) continue to lead the charge against COVID-19, as more than 50 per cent of the region’s adult population has been vaccinated against the disease. Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during Thursday’s edition of the COVID-19 update, said that Region Six has the highest rate of vaccination, with 50.2 per cent of the adult population receiving at least their first dose of one of three (Sputnik V, AstraZeneca, or Sinopharm) COVID-19 vaccines being offered locally.
This region is followed by Region One (Barima-Waini), with close to 46.6 per cent; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), with 46.5 per cent; Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), with 43.6 per cent; Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), with 43.2 per cent; Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), with 42.3 per cent; Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), 40.5 per cent, and Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), with 40.3 per cent of their population having received at least the first dose of the COID-19 vaccine.
Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), on the other hand, remains the administrative region with the lowest number of persons vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to Dr. Anthony, only 12.4 per cent of adults within Region 10 have received their first dose of one of the three COVID-19 vaccines.
The minister noted that Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) follows closely behind Region 10, with only 27.5 per cent of the persons there receiving their first dose of the vaccine.
The ‘crawl’ in Region Eight, he said, can be attributed to the recent heavy rainfall and flooding, which would make vaccination campaigns almost impossible to be carried out within the region.
Region 10, on the other hand, has had an ongoing issue with vaccination hesitancy, which is something the Health Ministry has committed to combatting in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry, on Wednesday, reported that a total of 205,944 persons have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; this is equivalent to about 42.3 per cent of Guyana’s adult population.
Additionally, a total of 72,045 persons have received both doses of the vaccine, equating to some 14.8 per cent of the adult population in Guyana.