“Mash” organisers must seek guidance from COVID-19 Task Force – Health Minister

Event organisers for Mashramani events are to consult and seek guidance from the National COVID-19 Task Force before planning any activity, to ensure safety amid the extant pandemic conditions.

Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony shared this position on Friday in his COVID-19 briefing, given the announcement of such activities for the holiday. Mashramani is celebrated on February 23, but events are organised preceding and after the day.
The countrywide curfew was lifted this month but Dr Anthony reminded that other guidelines are still in effect.
“I’m not sure what Mashramani activities will be hosted. While we have lifted the curfew, the other measures are still in place. I do hope that any person that is promoting any activities or involved in these types of entertainment arrangements, that they would first seek guidance from the task force before proceeding to organise any such gathering. COVID-19 is not over,” he underlined.
Infections are declining following the massive Omicron wave that swept Guyana, but the Health Minister also cautioned that other sub-strains of the variant are starting to make dents in health systems globally.
“We have seen an Omicron wave and those numbers have been dropping but we still have cases and if we’re not careful, those cases can still spike. With Omicron, there are different sub-types of Omicron…and in some countries, the BA.2 is the one that is circulating and now creating a resurgence in some countries.”
Moreover, an early opening could give rise to more spikes, especially in wake of the current vaccination numbers. In conjunction, immunisation is expected to wean a few months after vaccination but booster dose uptake is not moving apace locally.
The Minister explained, “Once we start opening up like this and if we open up too soon, we are going to see spikes in cases. Therefore, we have to be mindful and we’re still in a COVID-19 pandemic and we have to make sure that we take the necessary precautions, especially those that are going to protect us. We have to also bear in mind that some of the societies that are opening up, they have higher vaccination rates than we have, not just with primary doses but booster as well. Our booster doses are relatively low.”

Vaccine uptake
Over the course of one day, 1500 COVID vaccines were distributed. Consequently, 429,982 adults or 83.8 per cent have taken a first dose, while 324,175 or 63.2 percent returned for their second jab.
In the 12 to 17 cohort, 33,294 first doses and 23,914 second doses were administered. This equates to 45.6 per cent and 32.8 per cent respectively. Booster shots have moved up to 47,974 but a significant percentage of eligible Guyanese are yet to return.
“Now we have to increase this because there are lots of people who are eligible for booster doses but have not come forward so far. We have a couple of regions that are still below 1000 persons who have received booster doses… As we keep saying, it’s very important that people who would have received their primary shot, that’s the first and second dose, that they come back for their second dose once they’re eligible. Our eligibility is you must get the two shots before and after five months, you’re eligible.”
Data shows that 970 persons took the booster shot in Region One, 481 in Region Seven, 454 in Region 10 and 389 in Region Eight – an indication that the Health Ministry will have to enhance its efforts. (G12)