First Lady takes second dose of Covid vaccine at Main Street vaccination drive

-550 persons inoculated

First Lady, Mrs. Arya Ali took her second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination drive spearheaded by her Office on Main Street today.

Despite persistent heavy rainfall, 550 persons turned out to get immunised against Covid.

The First Lady partnered with the Ministry of Health to host the drive, and two teams administered both first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to the public.  

In an invited comment, the First Lady said, “When the President had announced that only 21 per cent of the youth population was vaccinated, I saw it only fitting, that as a youth myself, I encourage other youths to come out and get vaccinated so that they can protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Persons from across the city and some from outside of central Georgetown turned out for their jabs.

The First Lady said she was pleased at the “tremendous turnout…. I would just encourage you to get vaccinated so that we can go back to a normal life. It is safe, and it is the closest thing to a Covid-free environment.”

Meanwhile, supervisor of the day’s proceedings, Dr. Farah December said the activity had in stock 500 doses of the Sputnik V; 100 doses of the AstraZeneca; and a smaller quantity of the Sinopharm vaccine.

She encouraged persons who are hesitant to take their vaccine. “The pandemic has knocked us in a loop, and vaccines have been proven to work over the years. This is a safe vaccine. I encourage persons to come out and get vaccinated,” Dr. December said.

Recipients of vaccines also urged their peers to protect themselves against the deadly disease.

Mr. Lionel Persaud, 63, said any vaccine is better than no vaccine. He said that while the people are cognisant that the vaccine can reduce transmission of Covid, and lessen a person’s chance of contracting a severe form of the disease.

Mr. Khemraj Lall, a 24-year-old student called on the public to do their part to curb the spread of the disease.

 “I am actually a medical student, and I am attached to the Rajiv Gandhi School of Medicine, and I have actually studied mechanisms of vaccines, and trust me, they do work.

They will not prevent the contracting of Covid, but it will help you fight it. So, my advice to you is to come out, get vaccinated and let’s fight this together as a country,” he told DPI.

Meanwhile, the First Lady said her Office will be examining other options to host more vaccination drives in the near future. This, like three previous vaccination drives, all aim at making vaccines more accessible to the public to create herd immunity in Guyana.