The Ministry of Health’s second COVID vaccination drive-thru yesterday saw a great turnout of persons despite the inclement weather.
A consistent stream of vehicles flowed through the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara yesterday as the Ministry hosted its second COVID-19 vaccination drive-thru exercise in an attempt to boost inoculations. This was according to the Maternal and Child Health Officer with responsibility for immunisation, Dr Oneka Scott.
When Stabroek News visited the vaccination drive just around 4:30pm, vehicles could still be seen entering the compound even as a number of vehicles were still in queue at the vaccination stations. Dr. Scott told this newspaper that despite the continuous rainfall throughout the day, many persons still came out to receive their shots.
The immunisation manager noted that this drive-thru, like the previous one, was pulled together in two days, with health authorities receiving the support of over 100 volunteers. She added that the success of the drive could be as a result of the convenience of such an operation for persons who would not have to exit their vehicles to get the jab.
Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton, was also at the site during Stabroek News’ visit and told this newspaper that he was there to receive his second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. “Guyana is far ahead of all the countries around here, in the Caribbean and South America, as it relates to population vaccination and percentage of persons vaccinated and we will continue doing that, thanks to the nurses and the doctors,” the minister said as he applauded the initiative.
Hamilton stated that the fact that it was a holiday and persons still came out to be inoculated was commendable and mentioned that he, too, took along some persons for the vaccine. He also noted that he was pleased with the turnout of persons he saw when he arrived at the stadium. “I have just taken my second dose, I took the first one at the parliament buildings and I brought two young people along with me to take their first dose, so all of us must attempt to influence persons to come and have themselves vaccinated,” he urged.
As the operation at the stadium was winding down, Dr Scott disclosed that up to about 4pm, just over 800 first doses had been distributed.
Just over 1,000 received vaccines during last Saturday’s vaccination drive-thru event at the National Stadium.
