Event organisers for Mashramani events are to consult and seek guidance from the National COVID-19 Task Force before planning any activity, to ensure safety amid the extant pandemic conditions.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared this position on Friday in his COVID-19 briefing, given the announcement of such activities for the holiday. Mashramani is celebrated on February 23, but events are organized preceding and after the day.
The countrywide curfew was lifted this month but Dr Anthony reminded that other guidelines are still in effect.
“I’m not sure what Mashramani activities will be hosted. While we have lifted the curfew, the other measures are still in place. I do hope that any person that is promoting any activities or involved in these types of entertainment arrangements, that they would first seek guidance from the task force before proceeding to organize any such gathering. COVID-19 is not over,” he underlined.
Infections are declining following the massive Omicron wave that swept Guyana, but the Health Minister also cautioned that other sub-strains of the variant are starting to make dents in health systems globally.
“We have seen an Omicron wave and those numbers have been dropping but we still have cases and if we’re not careful, those cases can still spike. With Omicron, there are different sub-types of Omicron…and in some countries, the BA.2 is the one that is circulating and now creating a resurgence in some countries.”
Moreover, an early opening could give rise to more spikes, especially in wake of the current vaccination numbers. In conjunction, immunization is expected to wean a few months after vaccination but booster dose uptake is not moving apace locally.
The Minister explained, “Once we start opening up like this and if we open up too soon, we are going to see spikes in cases. Therefore, we have to be mindful and we’re still in a COVID-19 pandemic and we have to make sure that we take the necessary precautions, especially those that are going to protect us. We have to also bear in mind that some of the societies that are opening up, have higher vaccination rates than we have, not just with primary doses but boosters as well. Our booster doses are relatively low.”
Meanwhile, the Culture, Youth, and Sport Ministry will this weekend host the Calypso, Soca, and Chutney competitions at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The venue has the capacity to hold 25000 persons but due to the pandemic, only 3000 will be allowed in the stadium for the events. Before entry, patrons will have to produce their vaccination cards along with their identification cards.
