The Guyana Government has made a down payment for the acquisition of 150,000 single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine under a partnership agreement between the African Union and the Caribbean Community.
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, during an interview with social media commentator Mikhail Rodriguez, first revealed that 150,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are being sourced.
He said US$36,000 has been paid as a down payment to the African Union, through which the vaccines will be sourced.
Today, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony confirmed the purchase, noting that the vaccines are expected to arrive in Guyana next month.
In total, some 1.5 million doses of vaccines will be available to the Caribbean through this agreement.
“And of that set, Guyana is going to get approximately 150,000 doses and last week we made a down payment on those doses so were hopeful that during June that we’ll be able to get those vaccines,” Dr Anthony said.
“I think once we are able to get that it would be very appropriate for us to use that especially in the interior areas because some of those areas are very difficult to reach and if you give the one shot then that would be very helpful for the staff out there,” he added.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine has an efficacy of 66.3%.
To date, some 198,956 first doses have been administered since the start of the vaccination campaign this year, amounting to 40.9% of the eligible population.
For second doses, the figure stands at 68,333 or 14%.
