Guyana is not equipped with the necessary technology or resources to detect the new variants of the COVID-19 virus which have been circulating around the world, causing governments to institute new travel restrictions and lockdown protocols.
With a new variant in neighbouring Brazil, the Guyana Government will be exploring ways of conducting gene sequencing to be able to detect this new strain of the coronavirus which is said to be more transmissible.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony says local authorities have since discussed with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to work out an arrangement. Samples have already been sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for analysis, of which the results are yet to return.
“We’re looking at several options, one of which is sending ten samples per month to CARPHA so that they can do the sequencing. In addition to that, we’re working through PAHO to be able to send samples to CDC. Hopefully, through these arrangements and analysis of the sequencing, we’ll be able to, at least, have some sense on the types of variants that are circulating in Guyana,” Dr Anthony explained.
With a variant detected in Brazil, Guyana has already ceased all border travel and flights.
In fact, the United Kingdom has already banned travel from Guyana and other South American countries over concerns about the new virus variant in Brazil.
The BBC reported that it is suspected that the UK, South Africa and Brazil variants could be much more contagious or easy to catch than earlier versions.
Dr Anthony had previously posited that, if this proves to be true, it could pose a very challenging situation for the local healthcare system.
“If this is more transmissible, then more people are going to get infected,” he highlighted, noting that if this happens, it will put a strain on the hospitals in the country.
“These are going to be the challenges if this variant circulates in our country,” Dr Anthony said.
