Little Kanuballi supports COVID-19 vaccination drive

The riverine community of Little Kanuballi, Santa Cruz, located on the Barama River in the Moruca Sub-region, is responding positively to the Government’s national COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

As of Saturday, over 60 persons had received their first dose of the vaccine, with another 10 fully immunised. The population numbers about 476 with over 200 individuals of adult age.

Director-General of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, along with a medical team visited the community, as part of a specialist medical outreach and COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Regional Health Officer (RHO) of Barima-Waini (Region one), Dr. Steven Cheefoon said Little Kanuballi was among communities fed with misinformation about the coronavirus. He said he was happy that the situation was improving.

“We are currently giving out the second dose to persons who would have already received the first dose. We would have also given some first doses to those persons who wanted to take it. We are happy that residents are responding to the call to get vaccinated as we believe this is the only way out of this pandemic,” Dr. Cheefoon said.

He added that the region would do its part to ensure Guyana achieves herd immunity.

The RHO welcomed the Ministry’s medical outreach, which he said gives added support to the regional teams.

“In Region One, we have had a good response to the vaccine. However, there are some communities where we still face vaccine hesitancy and non-compliant persons. These outreaches that we have done during the course of these weeks, were to enable a proper sensitisation process.

The Ministry of Health, along with our RDC went village to village in an effort to enable persons to understand more about the vaccines, understand that it is a good thing and that we can achieve herd immunity, so that we could once and for all come out of this pandemic. We anticipate that more persons will take the vaccine and we have our teams on standby and ready to respond to the calls of the Toshaos,” the RHO stated. 

Meanwhile, DPI spoke with several persons who took the vaccine. 

Mary Brascenio, who received her second dose during the outreach, said she felt good taking both doses.

“I feel good, and I wanted to protect my family because I have my grandchildren with me, and my children too.”

Her sister-in-law, Jane Brascenio, who is also now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, said she would do everything to protect her family.

“I was saying to myself I would take the vaccine because I would be protected against the coronavirus, my family too, because I hear this corona is very dangerous and I want to live a little longer.”    

Another resident, Munir Narine, joined his uncle, Arnold Brascenio for their first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine.

The men said they do not want to contract the disease and hope others will also take the vaccine. At least 80 per cent of the population must be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.