As government continues engagements to procure approved COVID-19 vaccines, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony has signalled that priority for access would be given to health care workers, persons with pre-existing conditions and other persons vulnerable to COVID-19, such as the elderly.
Speaking during a COVID-19 update yesterday, Anthony noted that Guyana has been in discussion with several countries and organisations to procure a vaccine once one is approved. However, only 20% of Guyana’s population will be able to get access to an approved COVID-19 vaccine in the initial stages, so they would need to figure out which categories of persons will need to be vaccinated.
“The difference, however, is that the vaccine for COVID-19 and the vaccine we currently handle is that most of the vaccines that we have for other diseases we really give them to children to prevent them from getting sick. With COVID-19, because of the profile we are seeing with the disease, older persons are more affected, persons with co-morbidities, persons who have diabetes, hypertension or some other problems are more at risk. So we are having an internal discussion within the ministry on how to allocate these vaccines when we get them because we wouldn’t get for every single person in the country. So we will have to prioritise,” he said.
He added that they are also considering healthcare workers because they have to interact with the general public on a day to day basis and added that they are also at a high risk. “Therefore, it would be prudent if we give our frontline workers [the vaccine]; so that would be one category of people… As it is right now, these are discussions we are having to ensure that people who are more vulnerable would receive the vaccines and we will have work out a schedule and so forth,” he said.
Anthony also said that other preparations are being put in place, including the training of medical personnel and the construction of storage facilities.
