Gov’t will continue to source vaccines – President Ali

His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali is assuring the nation that his Government will do everything possible to source vaccines in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Ali today said another batch of the second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine will arrive soon and thereafter, batches of the vaccine will be sourced regularly to ensure persons have access to it.

“There are no prices to the lives of the people of this country. We tried every single source. We tried every single manufacturer, ambassador, country, state to get the vaccine and we got it from this source and the only thing that matters to me is that we were able to get it.” 

The President was at the time speaking to media operatives following an event at the Baridi Benab, State House.

Dr. Ali noted that while the Government is working to source vaccines, the onus is on the people to get vaccinated and protect themselves against the deadly disease. However, he said measures would have to be implemented to deal with those persons who refuse to take the vaccines.

To this end, the President said the Government is reviewing proposals for the reopening of Cinemas, with the agreement that persons present their vaccination cards to enter and keep their masks on in the cinema.

“This is a pandemic. This is not a joke and you have to get tough sometimes…For example, the cinemas, they have been clamoring to be reopened. We are looking at a proposal for their reopening with all the guidelines with certain addition, in terms of the filters at 40 per cent,” President Ali said.

He added that the Administration is looking at other proposals that could ultimately raise the capacity of restaurants and bars from 40 per cent to 60, but this will require persons showing their vaccination cards to enter.

“There are some companies around the world and I have gone to meetings virtually, where the global private sector is saying vaccinated, that’s one tier. If you are not vaccinated at your own cost you will have to bring a negative PCR, so these are all different models that the world is looking at in grappling with this situation, but we have to find the balance,” the President explained.

Dr. Ali also highlighted the importance of teachers being vaccinated to allow for the reopening of schools for face-to-face learning.

“I have been travelling around this country and I have seen children who ought to have been in school, they are out of the system so we have to get back in school, we have to get vaccinated, the teachers have to get vaccinated and create the conditions to ensure that we get back to school.” President Ali noted that once the Pfizer vaccine becomes available to Guyana, efforts will be made to vaccinate the children.