…2nd dose Sputnik V to arrive shortly – Dr Anthony
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) death toll in Guyana has increased to 438 as another female has succumbed from complications caused by the deadly virus, according to the Health Ministry on Wednesday.
It was noted that the 54-year-old female, from Region One (Barima-Waini), had tested positive for COVID-19, and died on Tuesday while receiving care at a medical facility. 
With this latest fatality, the total number of deaths from the pandemic so far in the month of June has increased to 40. May became the deadliest month with 99 fatalities since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus here last year, after surpassing April’s 66 COVID-19 death toll.
New cases
The Health Ministry also reported on Wednesday that another 128 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 from some 1421 tests conducted in the last 24 hours.
According to the updated COVID-19 dashboard, the total number of confirmed cases in Guyana is now 18,658 – 9141 males and 9517 females.
However, only 1643 of these are currently active cases.
This includes 21 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 1622 persons in isolation; that is, 113 in institutional isolation and 1509 in home isolation.
Some 16,577 persons have thus far recovered from the life-threatening virus – 176 more recoveries than the figure reported the previous day.
To date, 172,667 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Guyana. Of the 128 new cases detected on Wednesday, two were from Region One (Barima-Waini), five were from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), eight were from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), a whopping 43 were from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) 10 were from Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), one was from Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 35 were from Region Nine (Upper Takutu- Essequibo) and the other 24 were from Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
No new cases were recorded in Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) in the last 24 hours, according to Wednesday’s dashboard.
Vaccine campaign
The Guyana Government launched its COVID-19 vaccination exercise back in February, and is aggressively rolling it out in the various regions across Guyana in order to achieve herd immunity. Only last week, the vaccination campaign reached the milestone of immunising some 200,000 persons with their first dose of the COVID-19 jab.
So far, some 223,659 persons have received their first dose of the vaccine, accounting for 45.9 per cent of the adult population. Of these, however, 92,157 persons are currently fully vaccinated, which is approximately 18.9 per cent of the population 18 years and older.
During his Wednesday update on the COVID-19 situation in Guyana, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony disclosed that the country is yet to receive additional batches of the second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine, but he assured that the consignment would arrive shortly.
“We don’t have [second doses of the Sputnik V vaccines] in country right now, but we are making the arrangements to make sure we can get it in as soon as possible. And because I know that a lot of people have been eagerly awaiting for the second dose to come in, as soon as we get it in, we’ll announce it, so that across the country, people can go and get their second dose Sputnik V,” Dr Anthony stated.
On May 27, the Health Ministry had announced that no second doses were available for Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine following a delay in supplies. Last week, Health Minister Dr Anthony had announced that the vaccines were expected at some time this week. He explained on Wednesday that the first doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccines are available. Unlike the other jabs Guyana has acquired and is currently administering, the first and second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine are made up of two different components.
Initially, it was said that the second dose of the Sputnik V should be taken after four weeks of taking the first shot. However, Dr Anthony has pointed out that new information from the Russian manufacturer has indicated that the second dose can now be taken within four to 12 weeks. Hence there should be not worries with the delays.
Meanwhile, there are both first and second doses of the Chinese-made Sinopharm and the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine available. Since both of these jabs have the same components for two doses, half of the amount, upon their arrival, were set aside to be administered as the second shot for persons who have taken the first dose.
With Sinopharm, the return date is four weeks after taking the first shot, while AstraZeneca is also between four and 12 weeks. Dr Anthony used the opportunity to implore persons who have received their first dose of these two vaccines to return for their second shot.
The Health Minister went on to reiterate that, to date, authorities have received no report of persons who are fully immunised becoming hospitalised from COVID-19. He added, too, that there is no report of any person who is fully immunised dying from the virus.
Meanwhile, as more people continue to get vaccinated, authorities are urging the public to continue observing all COVID-19 preventative measures, particularly masking in public, social distancing, and frequent hand washing and sanitising. The measures also include a 22:30h (10:30pm) to 04:00h (4 am) national curfew.
If anyone is displaying any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or needs any additional information, contact the COVID-19 Hotline: 231-1166, 226-7480 or 624-6674 immediately, or visit www.health.gov.gy.
