More Region Three senior citizens get COVID-19 vaccines

-urge persons to get vaccinated

Senior citizens across Guyana are heeding the Government’s call to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

At the Mildred Cox Younge Health Centre, Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara, residents said they were eager for the vaccination programme to be rolled out in their area.

“I take it for my benefit, it’s everybody benefit whosoever come and take this vaccine. It is very good… Me come and tell them come and take the vaccine, the vaccine is very good. So, that’s why me come to protect myself,” Mr.  Zanitun Umar said.

Den Amstel resident, Mr. Harry Milton said he took the vaccine to protect himself and loved ones.  “Ah afraid of the Covid so I accept the vaccine, so I can get myself protect from the COVID-19.”

Mr. Raj Persaud said he was vaccinated to ensure he is allowed to travel and visit family. He is thankful to President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali for ensuring Guyanese have access to the vaccine.

“Me glad the President bring in the vaccine for give everybody. It is useful for the people them. It is very useful and I glad that he bring in the vaccine,” Mr. Persaud said.

Over at Versailles, elderly persons turned out in their numbers to get inoculated.  

Mr. Herman Farrier also said he chose to be vaccinated to ensure that his family remains safe whenever he travels.

“I take the vaccine because it is important to take the vaccine and if you want to travel you have to have a certificate stating that you took the vaccine to travel.

But I think everybody should take the vaccine because of preventatives so that you don’t take sick. You know if you have the vaccine in your system…  you have something to ward off the infections,” he said.

Mr. Jacob Claghan who also took the vaccine, said he complied with his family’s request that he safeguards himself from Covid.

“I get advice from my daughter, from me children and grandchildren and so and they say, ‘Come and take it, grandfather’, so I come and take it. I take it and nothing nah going on, nothing nah do me. So, it aright for me man.”

The vaccination exercise is currently being rolled out across the country principally for frontline health workers and persons ages 60 and older.

To date, Guyana has received a total of 103,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, which were donated by the Government of Barbados, the People’s Republic of China, and India. The Government is awaiting a consignment of 104,000 vaccines through the COVAX mechanism, and 149,000 doses under a CARICOM-African Union purchase agreement.

Additionally, last weekend President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced that Guyana has ordered 200,000 doses of the Sputnik vaccine and would be expecting its first shipment of 50,000 doses soon. After the first shipment, the Government expects to receive another 50,000 every two weeks until it has received its full quota.