Over 150,000 immunised against COVID-19

Guyana has achieved another milestone in the fight against COVID-19, with some 150,694 individuals immunised against the disease.

During Thursday’s COVID-19 update, Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Anthony said 31 per cent of Guyana’s adult population has taken the first Covid jab.

While this is a significant achievement, Minister Anthony said more individuals still need to be vaccinated.

“What we want is to encourage everybody to really come forward and to get their vaccines. What we have seen is that based on our records in terms of immunisation, we have seen quite a good uptake with persons 60 years and above and so, in that age category we have 61.3 per cent of persons 60 years and above who would have already taken their first dose of the vaccine and, that’s good,” Minister Anthony said.  

However, the Minister would like to see that number increase to over 80 per cent.

“So, we still have a little bit more to go. But we knew that this age group was quite vulnerable because we were seeing a lot of them getting sick coming into the hospital, and some of them getting into the ICU. So, you know, while this is a good number, we still want to move that up to the 80s, possibly the 90s.”

Minister Anthony reiterated that while the vaccine does not prevent infection, it prevents persons from developing the severe form of the disease.

“As we have said before, the vaccines that we are giving, once you’re fully vaccinated, that it can prevent and would reduce hospitalisation. So again, my appeal would be for this age category, that if you have not received your vaccines yet, make a special effort to go out and get your vaccines.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony said the 18 to 39 age group is lagging, as just only 20.9 per cent of persons in that category have so far been vaccinated.  

“It is something that we have to work on to get younger people to come out and get their vaccines as well,” the Minister said.

While data shows that younger people get a milder form of COVID-19, the Minister said some could be hospitalised. Therefore, he is advising that those in that age group be cautious, since they can be left with Long Covid or other forms of the disease, now being discovered.