Guyana has surpassed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) mandate of inoculating 40 per cent of the population with a Covid vaccine by December, 2021.
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony said Guyana has thus far fully vaccinated 39.6 per cent of the population. That percentage is expected to increase by the end of the year.
“So, you have a percentage of our population that we are not vaccinating as yet because of one, unavailability of the vaccine and secondly, in that low age category there is no vaccine available. Nevertheless, we’re at 56.3 per cent coverage for our population.”
So far, Guyana had been able to vaccinate 435,085 people with a first dose, representing over 56 per cent of the population.
Even though Guyana’s vaccinated percentage is relatively high, it is the entire population of 772, 975 people that is being considered. However, vaccines are only available for 512, 983 people due to age eligibility, which means only 107, 547 individuals who are eligible to take a Covid vaccine, have not.
The data shows that 79 per cent of the eligible population have taken a stance against the spread of Covid-19 and have gotten the first dose of a vaccine, while 55.7 per cent of that amount have returned for the second shot.
To further protect the population from the damaging effects of the disease, government has already begun the rollout of booster shots for persons 50 years and older, those 18 years and older with a comorbidity and other adults.
Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet said “inequalities have fuelled the pandemic, and continue to do so,” and further added that by December 1, barely 8 per cent of adults had received one dose of vaccine in low-income families, compared to 65 per cent in high-income countries.
However, Guyana is not included in the 8 per cent group, due to the swift work of government in purchasing Covid vaccines, acquiring vaccines from other friendly countries and also through the COVAX facility.
