34-year-old woman new COVID-19 death

…14 new cases, 4 in ICU

A 34-year-old unvaccinated woman of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) is the country’s latest COVID-19 fatality.
The Health Ministry reported that the woman died on March 8, bringing the COVID-19 death toll in Guyana to 1,224.
Additionally, the country has recorded 14 new cases of the virus, taking the total positives detected since March 2020 to 63,090. These new cases were as follows: two cases in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); nine in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) and three in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
According to the Health Ministry’s updated dashboard, there are four persons in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU); 16 in institutional isolation, 228 in home isolation, and 16 in institutional quarantine.

Get vaccinated
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony again on Wednesday urged persons to get vaccinated against COVID-19. In his daily update, the Minister said the Ministry has a number of vaccines available, including AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, Sinopharm and Sputnik V.
He explained that some persons are still to take their second dose of the Sputnik V. He is encouraging those persons to visit any vaccination site to get their jabs.
The current first dose vaccination rate among the adult population stands at 84.8 percent, while 64.7 percent has taken both doses of the vaccine.
As it relates to the adolescent population, 46.4 percent has taken a first dose, while 33.6 percent has taken both doses.
So far only 53,455 persons have returned for their booster doses.
“We keep encouraging people to ensure you come out and get your vaccines,” Dr Anthony has said.
Meanwhile, a new vaccine, Novovax, has been making rounds in several countries, as it has received emergency use authorisation by the World Health Organization.
The vaccine uses protein similar to the spike protein which causes a reaction from the body. “If your body comes in contact with any of these viruses that spike part of the virus, which is how it is presented to your immune system, your immune system would immediately recognise it and would be able to react,” Dr Anthony has said.
This technology was also used in other vaccines, like the HPV.
“The world would have had experience making these vaccines, and they have worked very well,” Dr Anthony has said. Efficacy is in the 90 percent rate, and it is found it to be “extremely safe,” the Health Minister has added.