…Health Minister bemoans low 2nd booster uptake
Another seven persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus from some 229 tests conducted within a 24-hour period, according to the Health Ministry on Wednesday. 
This now takes the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Guyana to 71,287. However, only 98 of these are currently active cases, including one patient in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU); the remaining persons are in isolation: 93 in home isolation and four in institutional isolation. There is no one in institutional quarantine, according to Wednesday’s updated COVID-19 dashboard.
The COVID-19 death toll in the country remains at 1281, with the latest fatality recorded on September 15 when an 88-year-old male from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) died as a result of the virus. Three COVID-19 fatalities have been recorded thus far this month.
Additionally, some 69,908 persons have recovered from the life-threatening virus to date – 39 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.
Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Guyana over two years ago, a total of 693, 592 tests have been conducted countrywide and of this number, 71, 287 persons (32,674 males and 38,613 females) were found to be positive.
All seven new cases recorded on Wednesday were from the Demerara-Mahaica region. There were no new cases recorded in the other nine regions across the country within the reporting 24-hour period.
Back in March, the Guyana Government had removed most restrictions as the country recovers from the pandemic and returns to normalcy.
Nevertheless, health authorities continue to urge persons to get vaccinated and for those who qualify to get their booster shots as an added layer of protection against the virus.
The latest vaccination figures show that so far, some 446,683 adults, or 81.1 per cent, have taken a first dose while 346,531, or 67.6 per cent, are fully vaccinated.
For adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17, about 35,751, or 49 per cent, of them have received first doses and of that number, some 26, 229, or 36 per cent, received a second dose.
Vaccines are also being administered to children in the five to 11 category and so far, some 8391, or 8.2 per cent, have gotten a first dose while only about 4269, or 4.2 per cent, of this cohort have returned for the second dose.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony on Wednesday pointed out that these figures, especially in the five to 11 age group, could be much more significant if parents allowed their children to get vaccinated.
Moreover, approximately 73,921 booster shots were taken to date by the various age groups. This represents about 12.6 per cent of eligible persons, who returned for their first booster jab.
But according to Dr Anthony, a large number of persons are now eligible for their second booster shot and are not returning for it. In fact, he disclosed that only a mere 3273 persons, or 0.6 per cent, have gotten a second booster.
“Again, there are people who are taking it seriously, making sure they get their boosters on time and there are others who are complacent. So, need to get more people taking this very seriously so that we can protect them,” he stated.
Moreover, the Health Minister is also reminding persons of the option of calling the Ministry to have a team visit the home of any bed-ridden individual in order to administer the COVID-19 immunisation drug.
According to recent figures from the World Health Organisation, some 610,393,563 confirmed cases were reported globally along with 6,508,521 deaths.
In the Region of the Americas, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased to 177,568,437 while the death toll has gone up to 2,830,982.
As it relates to vaccination against COVID-19, the WHO also reported that a total of 12,640,866,343 doses have been administered worldwide. (G8)
