Residents of Unity, Clonbrook receive COVID-19 vaccines

Residents of Unity and Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara, on Friday, turned out at their respective health centres to get vaccinated against Covid.

Speaking with DPI, Unity fisherman Mr. Deodat Basdeo said he wanted to be vaccinated to protect himself and friends.

“I came to get the vaccine for my safety and health so I could live on longer. So, I told them that we have to get this done because we are together most of the time because they are my crew members of five and it is a small room that we stay in the boat so we have to be okay,” he said.

Mr. Basdeo is also encouraging others to join in the Government’s efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

Another Unity resident, Ms. Ramrattan Ramdai, thanked the Government for securing the Covid vaccine as it provides security for persons like herself, who are afraid of the virus.

“I do not want to get the virus so I am happy that I was able to come here to get [the vaccine]. So, I have to thank the Government … because we do not know much about the virus and without this [vaccine] we would have been even worse than this,” she said.

Meanwhile, at the Clonbrook Health Centre, Mrs. Patricia Ramgwan said she decided to take the vaccine so that she would no longer have to live in fear of catching a severe form of the disease. She also encouraged her husband to get inoculated.

“Well, I am scared of the virus and so I decided to make up my mind to take the vaccine and so far, I am okay and I have no complaints. I encourage others to don’t be scared, but come forward because there is nothing to be afraid about,” she said.

Husband and wife, Anzo and Beryl Yearwood, made it their duty to get vaccinated.

Mrs. Yearwood said she, “decided to take the vaccine because I was a nurse and I know that it is important to take the vaccine. I have six children – three boys and three girls with over 35 grandchildren, and so I hope to live longer to see much more of their lives.”

Mr. Yearwood said his wife encouraged him to take the vaccine.  “I was a bit headstrong in the sense that they say they would have a crowd and I don’t like crowds, so I said I would go when the crowd ease up but like she said, I want to see my grandchild and their children grow old.”

So far, residents of Vreed-en-Hoop, Essequibo Coast, Herstelling, Eccles, Agatash and surrounding communities have also benefitted from the Government’s vaccination campaign.

The Government began its vaccination campaign after receiving its first 3,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from Barbados on February 10. It is currently awaiting a batch of 24,000 vaccines through the COVAX mechanism and another 200,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia. The Government also plans to purchase another 149,000 doses under a CARICOM-African Union agreement.