Cancer patients urged to get vaccinated against COVID-19

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, M.P., said persons with underlying illnesses like cancer are at a higher risk of contracting the severe form of the COVID-19 disease, and is again urging such persons to get vaccinated.

“Despite having cancer, you need to go get vaccinated…the only thing perhaps you need to reconsider, is if your physician or the doctor that is treating you expressively say that you should not get the vaccine,” Dr. Anthony said.

He said a booster dose is also recommended to better protect such persons. “In some cases, if persons’ immune systems are depressed, most of the recommendations are not just for the two doses, but an additional dose,” the minister related.

Today marks the 22nd anniversary of World Cancer Day, which is observed under the theme “Close the Care Gap” which seeks to raise awareness on cancer prevention and working to ensure there is early detection and treatment for the disease.

Meanwhile, the minister said there has been a significant drop in active COVID-19 cases across the country, this the minister said is due to the shorter duration of the Omicron variant, which is suspected to be circulating in Guyana.

“So right now, we have 5, 806 active cases across Guyana and this represents a drop, so if we look at what we had a week ago we were about 13, 000 active cases so this is a very significant drop,” the minister said.

Additionally, the country has record 491 new COVID-19 cases, with 110 persons currently hospitalised. Of this number, 75 patients are being treated at the Ocean View Hospital with 14 patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

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