Youths responding positively to Covid vaccine access – Min. Anthony

-Over 86,000 persons vaccinated

– 900 persons fully immunised

Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony says young people are responding positively to Government’s decision to open up the Covid vaccination programme to persons 18 years and above. 

During Monday’s Covid 19 Update, Minister Anthony said the turnout of younger persons over the weekend has been good. 

“We have seen a lot of young people coming forward to get the vaccine, and as you know, when you look at the profile of the persons who are getting sick, we’ve seen a lot of younger persons between the ages of 20 – 35, where we have recorded the most cases both for males and females,” Minister Anthony said.

The decision to reduce the age eligibility to access Covid vaccines to 18 years is part of the Government’s plan to achieve herd immunity. 

Herd immunity reduces the possibility of the disease being spread. 

Eighteen-year-olds became eligible last Friday, and since then, the number of persons vaccinated has climbed significantly. 

Minister Anthony revealed that over 86,000 persons have been inoculated against Covid 19. 

“As of yesterday, we had approximately 86,601 persons who were vaccinated across Guyana. We had a good weekend, I would say because we had a good number of outreach teams in all the regions, working to get vaccines out to the various communities, and I think the response has been very good throughout Guyana.”

The number of persons fully immunised has also risen to 900. Minister Anthony said the persons fully vaccinated are those that would have been administered the Sinopharm vaccine. 

Full immunisation means that an individual would have received both doses of the Covid vaccine. 

“Because it was a short duration of 18 days between first and second dose of the Sinopharm vaccine, already about 900 persons would have received their second dose of the Sinopharm vaccine.” 

Additionally, as more persons continue to be vaccinated daily, Dr. Anthony assured the nation that there is no shortage of the second dose of the vaccines. 

“I don’t think it should be any worry pertaining to if you will get both doses because we have set aside your second dose.”

Earlier today, Guyana received another 83,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia. Some 43,000 are the first dose, and 40,000 are for persons taking the second dosage. This is part of the 200,000 vaccines purchased from Russia by the Government of Guyana. 

The Health Minister is also advisingeveryone 18 years and older to take the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent them from contracting a severe form of the disease, which could be fatal.