Decline in COVID-19 testing, vaccination recorded – Health Minister

Since the removal of the curfew and national COVID measures, Guyana is recording a decline in the number of persons presenting themselves for testing and vaccination.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony outlined in Monday’s coronavirus briefing that since the restrictions have been relaxed, persons have responded differently. In that same light, he noted that persons coming for testing and vaccination have declined.

“A lot of people now feel relieved that they don’t have to comply with so many measures. Some people still maintain their mask. Others have removed their mask and they’re going about their normal business. We have, from the Ministry’s point of view, seen a decline in the number of people coming for testing. We have also noticed a decline in vaccination. That can be problematic because we still need more persons to be vaccinated,” he examined.
First doses across regions are relatively high but second doses and booster shots need to be improved. Adult first dose uptake is 437,900 or 85.4 per cent; and second dose is 336,228 or 65.5 per cent. Meanwhile, 34,271 or 47 per cent of adolescents have taken a first dose.
“This is something that we want to encourage people, that even with the lull that we have right now, we should encourage persons to be vaccinated; those who would have received their second dose to come back and get their booster doses.”
First dose uptake across regions show 90.8 per cent for Region One; 68.1 per cent in Region Two; 82.4 per cent in Region Two; 95.4 per cent in Region Four; 86.2 per cent in Region Five; 84.7 per cent in Region Six; 88.5 per cent in Region Seven; 55.5 per cent in Region Eight; 78.7 per cent in Region Nine; and 43.2 per cent in Region 10.
Second doses account for 56.5 per cent in Region One; 53.2 per cent in Region Two; 63.8 per cent in Region Three; 73.9 per cent in Region Four; 68.1 per cent in Region Five; 64.9 per cent in Region Six; 63.7 per cent in Region Seven; 45.2 per cent in Region Eight; 62.3 per cent in Region Nine and 33.3 per cent in Region 10.
A new strain of the Omicron variant, BA.2 has been circulating in other countries. While it has not been detected locally, Dr Anthony cautioned that unvaccinated persons and those whose immunity has waned will be challenged.
“We’re having a more transmissible variant at a time when a lot of countries have relaxed measures, such as masking. Therefore, you’re seeing a lot more people getting infected and some of those persons are ending up in hospital. Elderly persons, who are not vaccinated, would have a challenge. Those whose vaccines would have waned after about six months period, they too would have some challenges.”
The Health Minister added, “What they’re also noticing is that if you had a vaccine, then the severity of the virus is not as much. That’s a positive. Even getting long COVID is reduced if you’re vaccinated. There are many reasons why persons should get vaccinated. I suspect that as the BA.2 variant circulates to other countries, we are going to see similar spikes. We haven’t seen that here in Guyana as yet.”

COVID-19 cases
Meanwhile, weeks of lowered COVID-19 infections in Guyana has translated to reduced active cases. Only 87 active positives are being monitored in the country.
Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared on Monday that only eight of these cases are hospitalised. Five persons are being housed at the Infectious Diseases Hospital.
On Monday, there was one new reported COVID-19 case. Confirmed cases have reached 63,235 while deaths have remained at 1226. There are two persons in Intensive Care Unit, six institutional isolation, 74 in home isolation and eight institutional quarantine. Recovered cases stand at 61,927.
Due to relaxed measures, the National COVID-19 Task Force Secretariat has also taken a break from its rigorous enforcement.
“From time to time, we would see a few patients. But right now, our hospitalisation rates are down. Generally, we’re seeing less cases…Because we have eased some of the measures, the Task Force is not as stringent in its monitoring but we still do encourage people to take precautions. If you believe that you’re in a risky environment, then the better thing to do is to take those precautions,” Dr Anthony highlighted.
The World Health Organisation has noted that the BA.2 strain differs from BA.1 in its genetic sequence, including some amino acid differences in the spike protein and other proteins. Studies have shown that BA.2 has a growth advantage over BA.1.  Studies are ongoing to understand the reasons for this growth advantage, but initial data suggest that BA.2 appears inherently more transmissible, which currently remains the most common Omicron sublineage reported. (G12)