As the government persists in its attempts to achieve herd immunity in Guyana, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Narine Singh has submitted new guidelines for vaccine exemptions to Permanent Secretary Malcolm Watkins.
In a memorandum, dated August 11 and seen by Stabroek News, Dr Singh explained that only the identified categories of Guyanese will be exempt from the new vaccination requirements which have been rolled out.
These individuals, once employed within the “public system, will be tested regularly through the public system,” the Chief Medical Officer said.
These exemptions have been communicated as the government moves to restrict access to public services by the unvaccinated.
The latest COVID-19 measures, which took effect on August 1, direct that only vaccinated persons are allowed to visit government ministries and agencies. While there is a provision for unvaccinated persons to make an appointment in order to access the needed services, several agencies have instituted the added measure of requiring that those persons also produce a negative PCR test result taken within a 72-hour period ahead of their visit. Staff at these agencies have also been directed to get vaccinated or provide proof of their COVID status via a PCR test at their own expense.
In one case, medical staff were informed that they could not provide PCR tests taken via the public system to comply with these requirements.
In his memo, Singh explained that while recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that the vaccination of breastfeeding mothers will not cause harm to the infant, the Ministry of Health will only be administering the vaccines to mothers who request it, and consequently mothers who do not wish to be vaccinated for the duration of their breastfeeding will be exempted.
Also exempted are pregnant women though it has been advised that the COVID-19 vaccine will not cause harm to the fetus. Pregnant women who wish to be vaccinated can request the same.
The memo further explains that persons who were tested positive for COVID-19 can receive their vaccines 90 days from the date of their positive test, while individuals who received blood transfusions are eligible for vaccination two weeks after being transfused.
All other exemptions relate to pre-existing conditions, including clotting disorders, such as hemophilia. Such patients would be asked to provide clearance from their attending physician before receiving the vaccine as should patients receiving chemotherapy or dialysis.
Persons with sickle cell and epilepsy are not exempted but the date of their last encounter with an attack of the illness should be identified before vaccination while those with acute cardiac issues or acute cerebrovascular events cannot receive the vaccine until they have recovered and received clearance from their doctor.
It is also advised that patients with an active infection should not receive the vaccine until they have recovered.
