In hopes of encouraging more persons to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is partnering with the Private Sector Com-mission (PSC) to offer incentives to persons who are fully vaccinated, including a chance to win a free flight to a destination of their choice in Guyana.
This was disclosed by Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony during yesterday’s COVID-19 update.
Anthony said the ministry will be embarking on a number of initiatives to encourage persons to get vaccinated against the virus. He said that this weekend, T-shirts will be given to persons who will be receiving their second shot of a vaccine. Subse-quently, he disclosed that the Ministry along with the PSC, and in particular the owners of aviation services, will be embarking on a special project, called the ‘Vaxx and Fly’ programme.
“Once you have your two doses, you will get a coupon with which you can enter into a draw and once your name is pulled you will get a free flight to wherever in Guyana and hopefully we will see a lot more people get the vaccine,” he said.
The announcement came ahead of planned drive-through vaccination exercises this weekend at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence and at MovieTown, Turkeyen.
In a joint statement, the ministry and the PSC said the first ten (10) persons who are fully vaccinated, i.e. administered their second dose, will receive either a fuel (gas) voucher compliments of SOL or GUYOIL gas stations.
In addition, throughout the day, persons fully vaccinated will have a chance earning a branded “I am fully vaccinated” gift compliments of DeSinco Trading Limited, General Engineering Supplies and Services Inc., Terminex Pest Control, Da Silva’s Optical, Impressions, Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), SOL and GUYOIL.
The exercise at the Guyana National Stadium will be held today and tomorrow from 9 am to 6 pm and will see AstraZeneca and Sputnik V first doses and AstraZeneca and Sinopharm second doses available.
The MovieTowne exercise would be held on both days from 9 am to 4 pm and the AstraZeneca and Sputnik V first doses and AstraZeneca and Sinopharm second doses will be available.
“Everyone taking advantage of this opportunity to be vaccinated and doing your patriotic duty to help Guyana overcome this dreaded pandemic are asked to ensure they present themselves with a valid form of identification, such as an ID card, driver’s licence or passport. Those requiring their second dose will have to present their COVID-19 vaccination card,” the joint statement noted.
Fully vaccinated
Meanwhile, according to Anthony, 216, 862 of the Guyana’s adult population have been vaccinated as of Thursday and of that figure 83,729 persons have received their first and second doses, making them fully vaccinated.
Also providing a regional update, Anthony said that Region Six has the highest percentage of adults vaccinated with 52.4%, followed closely by Region One with 52.3%, Region Five 48.2%, Region Four 45.8%, Region Three 44.5%, Region Seven 43.9%, Region Nine 42.1%, and Region two with 41.7%. Region Eight and Ten still lag far behind with only 28.4% and 13.2% of their adult populations, respectively, vaccinated.
He noted that the recent arrival of more doses of the Sputnik V vaccines means that there is an adequate supply of vaccines in the country. However, many are still awaiting second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, which has delayed the completion of their vaccination regime.
Anthony said the Minis-try is very pleased that more people are choosing to get vaccinated. He stressed that no one who has gotten their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine has died or gotten severely ill after becoming fully immunized, so this alone should be incentive for persons to get fully vaccinated.
