Guyana Medical Council endorses all COVID-19 vaccines used in Guyana

…74 nations using Sputnik V

The Medical Council of Guyana on Saturday endorsed all vaccines currently being used locally to protect against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), underlining that there have been no overwhelming adverse effects worldwide from these jabs.
This position comes amid recent falsehoods that was placed on the use of Sputnik V shots by Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon. On Saturday, the Council stressed that this specific vaccine was the first to be registered and while it is awaiting official approval of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the data surrounding its use is reassuring.
In fact, with the use of Sputnik V in a whopping 74 nations around the world, the organisation declared that there is no doubt it will be given approval from the WHO.
“There is no reason to expect denial of approval for this vaccine from the WHO and other authorities in the coming weeks. This is the same process that has occurred with all of the other available vaccines prior to WHO approval where countries have adopted a policy of “USE” pending approval after careful evaluation by their own technical team,” a section of the statement highlights.
The Medical Council noted that Guyana and its neighbours have the requisite technical expertise to analyse scientific data and make appropriate recommendations to policy makers. This was the basis for using the various vaccines in Guyana – independent technical analysis of risk versus benefits.
The statement further clarified, “All of the vaccines available in Guyana, including the Sputnik V, have a 100 per cent record in preventing severe COVID-19 infection defined as admission to ICU, needing ventilatory support or death. In fact, none of the 442 deaths recorded in Guyana were seen in fully (2 doses) vaccinated persons. There have been no overwhelming adverse events reported worldwide for any of the vaccines used in Guyana to date.”
Every adult is eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in Guyana, including pregnant and breastfeeding women. Persons with a history of severe allergic reactions should seek medical advice before considering the vaccines and are the only group who may not be medically suitable.
“Healthcare workers were among the first to benefit from the vaccination programme in Guyana and this has likely contributed significantly to reducing the adverse outcomes among the fraternity. The Medical Council of Guyana would wish that every resident of Guyana take advantage of the same protection as frontline workers and therefore urges our people to get vaccinated,” the Council urged.
With vaccination, the public was also advised to follow all guidelines established to keep them safe in order to safely exit the pandemic. The Health Ministry has already reiterated that measures can only be relaxed after a large portion of the population is vaccinated, that is, if the country reaches herd immunity.
“We are of the view that the best COVID-19 vaccine to take is the one that you have available right now…. The COVID 19 pandemic continues to devastate the world, both health wise and economically. While we continue to recommend that persons follow the established guidelines of social distancing, handwashing and wearing of masks, there is now the additional measure of vaccines to protect us. Vaccines help us to develop immunity which help us fight off infections.”