THE Guyana Police Force (GPF), in collaboration with the United States Embassy’s Military Information Support Team and the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), on Friday, hosted a COVID-19 vaccination drive for its ranks at the Police Officers’ Mess Hall, Eve Leary.

According to Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus, the initiative was birthed as a way to give ranks access to a COVID-19 vaccination site that would allow them to quickly take their vaccine or booster shot.

Government has been rolling out an aggressive COVID-19 vaccination programme that targets persons 12 years and over. The vaccines being offered are the US-made Pfizer, the Russian-made Sputnik V; the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine and the Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine.

According to Bacchus, even though permanent vaccination sites were established across the country, many ranks have to take time off from duty to get vaccinated. He said that in some cases, they had to leave the site because of the amount of persons who were waiting in line.

He stated that it was with this in mind that the idea for the vaccination site to be set up at the police headquarters was birthed.

“We saw it fit to host this drive because we have seen ranks requesting time off. They get dressed in their uniform and have to stand in lines for their vaccines or boosters only to be told that they would have to return. So, we decided that we should host a drive so that our ranks can get the necessary vaccine or booster shots, in an environment that they’re comfortable in,” said Bacchus.

He noted that while the vaccination drive was created with the GPF ranks in mind, it was open to all other persons including persons from the joint forces and civilians.

Bacchus stated that the force intends to make this a regular event so as to facilitate the varying timelines for ranks requiring their booster doses. He noted that the collaboration will continue throughout the first quarter of the year so as to ensure that all ranks of the GPF are able to become fully vaccinated and to take their booster shots.