(CMC) – The Guyana government on Monday announced that it is offering booster vaccines to people 18 years and old even as it continued to urge citizens to come forward and be vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Since March last year, COVID-19 has infected 38, 160 in the country, killing 1,006.
“So those previous requirements that we had where you have to be 50 years and older, we have now lowered that requirement to 18 years and older. So, once you have received two of those primary regimens, and now you’re six months after that, you can come and get a booster dose,” Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony said.
The announcement by the government comes as the world grapples with a new variant of the virus, Omicron, resulting in many countries imposing new travel restrictions.
Figures released by the ministry show that 738, 995 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Guyana, including first, second and booster shots.
Authorities shared that 403,537 adults have received a first dose of the vaccine, while 282,567 adults are fully inoculated. For those in the 12 to 17 age group, 29,458 adolescents received a first dose of the vaccine, while 20,659 of them have been fully vaccinated. In terms of booster doses, 2,774 shots have been administered since the campaign’s roll out.
But Dr Anthony said while vaccines are “the surest way” to protect against COVID-19, there are a number of citizens who “can get their first dose but haven’t presented themselves as yet.” He shared that the Government is still encouraging them to do so.
“Make sure you get your first dose and then come back for your second dose. There are persons who have already received their first dose but haven’t come back for a second dose. And we want to encourage them, as well, to make sure that they get their second dose,” he said.
Guyana said it is providing the AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sputnik V, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
