IN this offering, we will revisit the COVID-19 pandemic, because it is the worst health crisis the country has experienced within living memory, because of the danger of death to which the unvaccinated are ignorantly exposing themselves and because the unvaccinated are delaying herd immunity and the return of social and economic normalcy.

Guyana has so far executed a world-class COVID-19 programme.  If we compare our programme with those of the developed countries as well as those of other developing countries, our achievement is outstanding.  But we cannot congratulate ourselves until herd immunity has been achieved and the country returns to social and economic normalcy.

We will not recount all the elements which have made the Guyana pandemic prograMme the success it has so far been.  One of the major elements is management.  The Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, did not delegate this task but took personal control of it and appointed a team of able and dedicated young doctors and nurses to help to execute it; and among these was Dr Ertenisa Hamilton, who assumed direct, on-the- ground control and Dr Lall, who is involved in the vaccination aspect.

Though vaccination of the population is the most important measurable facet of the programme, there are other ancillary activities that are imperative and these include recruitment and training of staff;  provision of suitable hospitalisation facilities;  provision of suitable equipment;  provision of adequate supplies of medications;  testing;  oxygen;  special cold storage facilities;  obtaining supplies of vaccines which required both diplomatic and commercial skills;  and meeting the challenges of inoculating a widely scattered comparatively small interior population traversing difficult terrain of mountains, forests and rivers;  and importantly, to keep the population informed daily.

When Dr Ertenisa Hamilton was asked about the daunting task of vaccinating the interior regions, she reiterated that her office was informed by the principle of delivery of universal health care across the entire country.  “We cannot serve our country,” she said, “if we serve it in a manner in which those who are easily accessible receive more  COVID-19 services than those who are not easily accessible . . . We are committed to ensuring that every Guyanese receive equitable, accessible and acceptable service in all COVID-19 services and also in the general provision of healthcare.”

Dr Frank Anthony and his team showed remarkable foresight when, early in the pandemic, they approached Covax, an UN-associated body, and secured a commitment for the supply of vaccines for 20 percent of the population and also sourced supplies from India, China and Russia.  Today, most countries in the world are suffering from vaccine shortage and several would not receive vaccines for several months from now.  Guyana is one of the very few developing countries which has enough of a supply of vaccines to achieve herd immunity before year-end.
Dr Anthony, Dr Hamilton, Dr Lall and their team of young professional nurses have crafted an outstanding programme to confront the pandemic, including a very fine vaccination programme, and by now herd immunity should have been clearly in sight.  But this has been frustrated by an outlandish misinformation campaign against the vaccine by use of social media and rumours.

Dr Anthony and others in the medical profession have been appealing to those who have allowed themselves to be misled,  to protect themselves, their families and their communities by taking the vaccine.  Dr Anthony, in patient disappointment, recently remarked: “Availability of vaccines is not the issue; it is making sure that people come and get their vaccination . . . Unfortunately, we have seen in some communities there has been vaccine hesitancy because of all kinds of myths.”   Consumer advocates are less polite than Dr Anthony and would point out that not being vaccinated and as a result,  infecting other persons,  is criminal.  In the unlikely event of the vaccinated being infected, the attack would scarcely be fatal, but if the unvaccinated person experiences a severe attack, that person could be near to death’s door.

It is of the highest national importance that the population be vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic, since it will protect citizens, their families and society from suffering and untimely death.  It would also guard against citizens being victims to variants of the virus and sudden spikes which have wreaked such havoc in several countries and help to achieve herd immunity, which would lift the lockdowns and return society to social and economic normalcy.

The Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) is therefore calling upon the major national stakeholders – the parliamentary political parties; the labour movement; the private sector; the medical profession and the University of Guyana to jointly reject misrepresentations against the vaccines and appeal to the nation to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccination programme and protect themselves and families, achieve herd immunity and return Guyana to social and economic normalcy. The GCA will be formally writing these national stakeholders on the issue.