More Guyanese taking COVID jab

MORE GUYANESE ARE TAKING THE COVID JAB, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony
disclosed.
“Vaccination works. They are safe, they’re effective, and we have enough vaccines for people
here so what we want to urge people to do, make sure you get your vaccines,” Minister Anthony
pleaded with the nation.
“If you didn’t get a first dose by now, please come, they’re still first doses available, come to one
of our sites you can get that first dose. And if you have taken a first dose and you need a second
dose, that is available as well,” Anthony reiterated.
To date, 306, 906 Guyanese or 59.8 per cent of the country’s adult population have received the
first dose of a Covid vaccine. Another 158, 557 persons or 30.9 per cent are fully ‘vaxed’.
Nevertheless, the country is still a long way from achieving herd immunity, the government
minister said.
In applauding the achievements of the sector, despite ongoing hesitancy and pushbacks especially from
nurses and other state employees, Anthony cited “complacency” for current spikes in COVID 19 cases
across the 216,000 Km 2 South American Republic.
“We have had a steady increase in cases, so, today we have seen an additional 152 new cases
across the country and to date we have 1,695 cases that are active,” Minister Anthony said.
“So, this is showing us that we have an upswing of cases and we have to take extra precaution
now. I think people have become a little bit complacent, not adhering strictly to the measures,
not going out to get vaccinated and protecting themselves,” Anthony revealed.
The minister urged Guyanese to stick to the COVID-19 guidelines and become more vigilant in
to help reduce the spread of the highly contagious and deadly disease discovered first in Wuhan,
China towards the end of 2019.

He said the public must continue wearing masks in public spaces, sanitise frequently and practice
physical distancing.
“These measures…are simple that one can take to make sure that you prevent…getting infected
with COVID-19. Some people (implement) the measures but they do them in a very sporadic
manner. That doesn’t work. If you’re going to do them you have to do it consistently,” Dr
Anthony counselled.
There are currently 99 COVID-19 positive patients, with 23 of them in the COVID Intensive
Care Unit at the Infectious Diseases Hospital at Liliendaal, on the east coast.
Of these, 73 are hospitalised at the Oceanview facility; seven at the West Demerara Regional
Hospital; two at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital; four at Rose Hall facility; three at the Skeldon
Hospital; four at the Bartica Regional Hospital; and two at the Upper Demerara-Berbice
Hospital.