Guyana distance away from herd immunity- Min. Anthony

Only 26.5 per cent fully vaccinated

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony MP, says Guyana is still some distance away from achieving herd immunity, as only 26.5 per cent of the adult population has been fully vaccinated.

However, more than 50 per cent of the adult population has received the first dose of the vaccine.

With second dose figures still significantly low, Minister Anthony is again calling on individuals to ensure they are vaccinated. During his COVID-19 update on Tuesday, the Minister reassured the nation that all vaccines being used have been tested.

“We have a lot more work to do. However, we want people to understand that these vaccines are safe, they are working, they are helping to prevent deaths, they’re helping to prevent severe disease and they need to come out and protect themselves.

We also want to encourage persons who would have already received the vaccines, to talk to others who are hesitant about their experience, because most persons who have received the vaccine, they didn’t have a bad experience, they didn’t have any signs or symptoms of anything. Those who probably had a little bit of fever, they’re just minor reactions, so, it’s not as bad as people would imagine.”

He said it is even more important that persons get vaccinated since there is an increase in the Delta variant.

“It’s now a pandemic among the non-vaccinated, meaning that if you haven’t received your vaccines as yet, you are at higher risk of getting a severe form of the disease and even dying from Covid, which can be prevented. And it can be prevented by just taking the vaccines.”   

The Ministry of Health and National COVID-19 Task Force began the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the first week of March. So far, 243, 540 persons have received their first doses, while 128,847 persons have received their second doses.