Over 100,000 Guyanese Immunised Against COVID-19; Vaccines Also Available To Non-Nationals And Shut-Ins, Says Health Minister

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (Wednesday, April 21, 2021) — Guyana is one step closer to achieving herd immunity, having reached a landmark, with over 100,000 persons inoculated against COVID-19, as of Tuesday, declared Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during today’s COVID-19 update.

“We have met a milestone, as of yesterday, because we have exceeded 100,000 doses; 100,000 persons receiving their first dose, and this is across Guyana.

“We have had people coming out, our teams going into villages, so I think the health workers, who have been on this vaccination campaign, have done a remarkable job for us to achieve this milestone,” he said.

The Minister noted that approximately 6000 persons are being vaccinated daily, and provisions are in place to serve those, who may be shut-in, due to medical conditions or other reasons.

“We know there’re a number of persons, who are at home; they are bedridden and if the persons, who are caring for them, can contact the regional health officers in the various regions, then we will certainly be able to work out a way of taking the vaccines to them.

“We have been able to do those that have been identified to us, but I’m sure there are many more, other persons, and from the side of the Ministry, we are always willing to help,”  he added.

Meanwhile, Minister Anthony underscored that the national vaccination campaign against COVID-19 is for all persons, residing or working in Guyana, and not only Guyanese.

“Our policy now, with vaccination right now, is to ensure that whoever is in Guyana and once you are an adult, that you get the vaccine. So, that is what we are working on, because herd immunity cannot be achieved by excluding people.

“So, we know that with the adult population, they’re mobile. They’re young, they’re mobile; they’re going to go to different parts and so forth, and that is why we want to make sure that everyone is immunised.  So, migrants, who are here, would certainly get vaccines; other nationals, who are here working in different establishments, once they’re here for a protracted period, we would also be able to give them vaccines,” the Health Minister stressed.

Dr. Anthony also said Guyana still has a long way to go, to ensure every adult is immunised and, accordingly, the government continues to take steps to secure Covid vaccines for the nation.

Minister Anthony reported that, to date, the country has obtained 265,000 vaccines, which have been made available countrywide in the national vaccination campaign, and he is encouraging all persons, ages 18 and older, to visit one of the vaccination sites established countrywide to get immunised against COVID-19.

He advised that the vaccines prevent people from contracting a severe form of the disease, which can lead to death.