-only 44% of adult population vaccinated

DIRECTOR-GENERAL of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, has disclosed that even though Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases, persons are still hesitant to get vaccinated against the deadly virus.

During an interview with the Sunday Chronicle, Dr. Mahadeo pleaded with residents to get vaccinated, noting that the government has spent millions of dollars to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.
Pointing out that persons can still contract the virus, Dr. Mahadeo emphasised that it will prevent people from experiencing the most severe symptoms of the disease and from hospitalisation. A person is only considered fully immunised against COVID-19 two weeks after taking his/her second dose.

Dr. Mahadeo attested to the fact that people became infected after taking their first vaccine dose but emphasised that they were not hospitalised.
Meanwhile, Regional Health Officer, Dr. Ranjeev Singh, said that only 44 per cent of the adult population in Region Two is currently vaccinated and according to him, that is poor.
Dr. Singh said Region Two was once the second leading region in the vaccination campaign, but now the Regional Health Service has observed a declining trend in the number of people coming forward for their first dose.

As such, the region is ramping up its vaccination drive and awareness campaign and has now installed vaccination sites at various supermarkets. These sites are located at Imam Bacchus and Sons at Affiance, Safeway supermarket at Good Hope, and G and P Jaigobin at Anna Regina. Incentives, including coupons, are also being offered to persons who take the jab.

“We are on the verge of increasing the vaccination programme in our region; we are calling on leaders to play their part and encourage their followers to take the vaccine; it is deemed irresponsible if you do not take the vaccine because you will put everyone around you at risk,” Dr. Singh said.
The region also has stable vaccination sites at Good hope, Huist Diren, Queenstown, Abram Zuil, Windsor Castle, Darthmouth, and Charity Health Centres.

The region currently has the first dose in Sputnik-V, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm. The second dose of AstraZeneca and Sinopharm is also available.