…50 new cases recorded in 24h
…vaccination requirement to enter Guyana takes effect
Three residents from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have died.
According to the Health Ministry, the latest fatalities are an 83-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man, who died on Friday last while a 68-year-old male died on Saturday. 
The Ministry said these patients were admitted with COVID-19 like symptoms but died while receiving care at medical institutions in the region. Samples were taken at the time of admission and the tests subsequently returned positive.
With these COVID deaths, the total number of fatalities from the pandemic in Guyana is now 559. So far in the month of August, 13 persons have died from the virus.
However, new statistics provided by the Ministry showed that 50 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours.
The total number of confirmed cases in the country has gone up to 22,982, according to the Ministry’s updated COVID-19 dashboard on Sunday.
However, only 831 of these cases are currently active with 17 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the remaining 814 persons in isolation, that is, 86 in institutional isolation and the other 728 in home isolation.
There are also three more persons in institutional quarantine.
So far, 21,595 persons have recovered after contracting the life-threatening disease – 25 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.
A total of 235,131 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Guyana since its outbreak here last year and to date, 11,187 males and 11,795 females were found positive.
Meanwhile, of the 50 new cases recorded on Sunday, four were detected in Region One (Barima-Waini); one in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); another four in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 32 in the Demerara Mahaica region; another four in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and the remaining five cases in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
There were no new cases in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) in the last 24 hours.
In order to curb the rising number of cases in the country, the Guyana Government launched its COVID-19 vaccination exercise back in February and is aggressively rolling it out in the various regions in order to achieve heard immunity.
So far, more than 260,000 persons received their first dose vaccine, accounting for 53.5 per cent of the country’s adult population. Meanwhile, over 143,000 persons are now fully vaccinated, that is, 29.4 per cent of the population 18 years and older.
Meanwhile, as Government toughens on person who are refusing to get vaccinated, the new travel restrictions for foreign nationals entering Guyana took effect on Sunday.
The new measures, which have been gazetted as part of the Civil Aviation Health and Safety Regulations, stipulate that all persons entering Guyana must show proof of vaccination with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The jabs listed in the order include: AstraZeneca; Sputnik V; Sinopharm; Sinovac; Pfizer; Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson. The former three jabs are currently being used in Guyana as part of the national vaccination campaign.
In addition to the vaccine requirement, which does not apply to children, all persons travelling to Guyana must have a negative molecular biological PCR COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their arrival in order to gain entry into the country. Travellers with proof of vaccination but with a negative PCR test taken between three and seven days prior, will be subjected to a mandatory test upon arriving in Guyana. Persons refusing to comply will be refused entry into the country.
Moreover, persons transiting in Guyana for up to four hours are only required to present a negative PCR test along with travel documents to show onward travel.
Additionally, the new orders which apply to airport and airline operators, require airlines to verify the authenticity of the negative PCR tests at the check-in counter before travellers board the aircraft to Guyana.
Last month, Guyana had imposed vaccination requirements for persons from Trinidad and Tobago, travelling to Guyana. This restriction applies specifically to nationals from the twin-island and not to persons transiting there.
Further, the new COVID-19 measures implemented by Government for the month of August stipulate that only vaccinated persons can gain access to certain social outlets such as bars, cinemas and casinos. With regards to State services, immunised persons will be allowed to walk in and access these but unvaccinated persons will have to make appointments.
In addition, only unvaccinated persons seeking emergency services at the Georgetown Public Hospital will be allowed in the compound.
“Unvaccinated persons seeking to enter the compound will not be permitted to visit any patients or any clinical areas. If the visitor has an appointment, they must present a negative PCR test result that was produced within 72 hours from a testing site that is approved by the Ministry of Health,” an advisory from the GPHC stated.
For vaccinated persons, they need to walk with their vaccination card along with a proof of identification to gain entry into locations with these restrictions.
