Karisparu Toshao takes Covid-19 vaccine

–encourages others to get vaccinated

Toshao of Karisparu, in Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight), Candace Evans is encouraging persons to get vaccinated against the deadly coronavirus, which is responsible for at least 706 deaths in Guyana and millions worldwide. 

Toshao Evans who attended the recent Toshaos’ Conference in Mahdia, used the opportunity to speak with visiting health officials from the Regional Health Services (RHS) before taking the jab.

“I am a mother and I am breastfeeding, and I was trying to get all the information I can from the nurses and doctors at Mahdia hospital before I made up my mind. And today, after the [visiting] doctors talked to us about the vaccination, I decided to take the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. I made up my mind because I don’t want to get the virus and get sick and end up in ICU. I rather take the vaccine and fight the virus… and I would encourage my people at Karisparu to get fully vaccinated,” Toshao Evans urged.

The young Amerindian leader noted that without the vaccination card, it will be difficult to conduct business, and repeated her call for others to get inoculated with any of the available COVID-19 vaccines.

“It would be very difficult doing business and visiting important offices without this blue [vaccine] card, you cannot access any government building without it,” she noted.

Toshao Evans says she will continue educating persons in her village about the virus and how the vaccine can help.  “I would encourage people to take the vaccine. I would encourage people to take the same decision as I did.”

In a recent COVID-19 update, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, MP, had stated that the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be given to persons mainly in the hinterland regions.

“So, we are going to send those vaccines out to those hard-to-reach communities across the hinterland. And I think that’s going to help us to reach a lot of people, to be able to expand the coverage,” Dr. Anthony stated.

So far, over 66.6 per cent of Guyana’s population has taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 34.4 per cent has been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile 27 percent of children ages 12 to 17 have also been administered their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.