Reg 4 pensioner is latest COVID-19 fatality, 89 new cases reported

A 77-year-old man is the latest person to succumb to the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19), moving the country’s total death toll to 972.
The Health Ministry informed on Saturday that the pensioner hailed from Region Four and died on November 19. He was partially vaccinated and died while seeking medical attention at one of the designated facilities.
However, new statistics provided by the Ministry showed that 89 new cases were detected within the course of one day, taking the total confirmed positives to 37,273.
In addition, the Ministry reported that 11 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 65 in institutional isolation, 1844 in home isolation and two in institutional quarantine. Throughout the pandemic, 380,376 individuals were tested – of which 17,563 males and 19,710 females were positive. There have been 34,381 recoveries.
A regional breakdown of new cases showed 4 cases being detected in Region One (Barima-Waini); six in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); five in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); 34 in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); two in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); 29 in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne); two in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni); one in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); three in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and three in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
With the announcement that booster shots will be available from Monday, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony had indicated that information on how the vaccines can be interchanged will be released on Monday. This is since persons do not necessarily have to take the same booster jab as the initial vaccines.
He stated “In some cases, it can remain the same. So, if you had two doses of Pfizer, you can get a third dose of Pfizer. With some people, they would like to have mix and matching. So, if you had two doses of AstraZeneca, some people may want to have one dose Pfizer. We’ll put out that schedule of possibilities of how you can interchange these vaccines. By Monday, we’ll have that out in the public. As people go out to get their boosters on Monday, that information would be available”.
Six months after the second shot is taken, the booster dose can be administered for these two cohorts. For the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, the booster jab can be administered after 52 days. The Ministry is using the existing vaccines in the country to roll out this new leg of the vaccination campaign. From Monday, shots will be administered to person aged 50 years and older; or any adult patient that is suffering from comorbidities.
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19 or needs any additional information, they are asked to contact the COVID-19 Hotline 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately or visit www.health.gov.gy
All Guyanese are reminded to observe the protocols of the COVID-19 emergency measures which emphasise the need for correct and consistent use of a face mask when leaving your home; the importance of maintaining the six feet physical distance from others; and the need for good hand hygiene.