No exemption for persons who haven’t taken COVID-19 vaccine second dose – Health Minister

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, MP, said there will be no exception for persons awaiting their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to enter public buildings as there is no shortage of vaccines in Guyana.

In the latest COVID-19 emergency measures covering the month of November, only fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to enter public buildings. If someone is not fully vaccinated and wishes to enter a public building, he or she must make an appointment and present a negative molecular biological test result taken within seven days of the appointment.

The policy states that a person is only considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving the second dose of a Covid vaccine.

With this new measure, persons who took one dose and are awaiting their second dose will be barred from entering a public building without an appointment and negative test result.

Minister Anthony noted that there is no shortage of vaccines in Guyana and persons are free to visit any of the Ministry of Health’s vaccination sites and get protection from the Covid virus.

“I think people had a long time to get themselves in order and what we have noticed from the data that a lot of people came, they took the first dose, and they didn’t come back for a second dose. And a lot of time has elapsed between the first and second doses. If you only have one dose of the vaccine, it’s not going to be adequate to get full protection and that is why this measure is necessary, so that people get both doses of a two-dose vaccine.”

While some persons are still skeptical of taking the vaccine, 382, 177 adults have taken the first dose and 244, 322 of that number have taken the second dose. This means 47.6 per cent of the adult population in Guyana are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, 52 persons who tested positive for Covid are currently hospitalized. Thirty-three are at the Infectious Disease Hospital with 13 of them in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

As such, persons are being encouraged to take the vaccine that will not prevent contracting the virus, but will prevent an individual from contracting the severe form of the disease which oftentimes leads to death.