Second jab of Sputnik V begins Tuesday

THE LONG WAIT FOR THE SECOND JAB OF THE SPUTNIK V is over Health Minister Dr
Frank Anthony announced Monday.

Dr Anthony said Guyanese on the waiting list since receiving their first vaccination in April this year
will begin receiving the jab for full inoculation from Tuesday, according to a state-run Department of
Public Information (DPI) news release.

Those to be fully inoculated are within the mandatory four-to12-week period between jabs to enjoy
the efficacy promised by the Russian-manufactured vaccine.

“With the second dose that we now have, and we would like to give it to the persons who would
have received their first dose in April. So, they are now coming closer to that 90-day period, and
we want them to get first preference,” Anthony was quoted saying in the DPI release.

While DPI did not release the quantum of vaccine landed in the country, Anthony did assure that all
those on the Sputnik V waiting list will be fully vaccinated in the next two weeks.

“We are now getting in these second doses. So, we have a set that came in, and next week we are
going to get the next set so everyone who would have received their first dose of this will get
their second dose.”

Guyana had experienced a delay in receiving the shipment of the second doses after there was a global
shortage, due to the spike in the Delta variant of Covid. The Sputnik V vaccine has proven most
effective against this variant.

To date, 239,450 Guyanese have received their first jab, while more than 120,000 are fully
vaccinated, DPI said.