Over 200 children were yesterday administered their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine as the adolescent COVID-19 inoculation programme was officially launched.
The programme which was launched at Saint Stanislaus College in Brickdam, Georgetown, as a collaborative effort between the ministries of Health and Education, saw scores of teens and their parents coming out to be a part of that first set of children to be vaccinated.
Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, confirmed in a post on social media yesterday that a total of 213 children were inoculated. During the launching of the programme, she said it brings the country’s children one step closer to being able to attend school again safely.
“It is a fact that cannot be disputed that the longer we stay out of class, out of school, is the more likely we are to suffer from severe learning loss as well as premature school leaving,” she posited. As it relates to that issue, she said the Ministry of Education intends to track each child that should have been in school in an effort to get them back there.
Manickchand stated that the world is no longer talking about getting past the virus to have students back into schools only, but to ensure that the world can get past the virus so that persons can stay alive. She added that it has been said time and time again that vaccinations are the only way to safely exit the pandemic and return to normalcy.
Further, the education minister told those present that she was pleased to find out that more children than were initially listed to receive the vaccine on Thursday showed up. “I was very pleased when I was coming in this afternoon to learn that even students who were not listed today walked through the gates and are going to take this vaccine today,” she said.
She indicated that the two ministries will be visiting the various communities and schools to ensure that every child who requires a vaccine has access to it.
Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony echoed that the government is looking forward to having students safely back in school and that vaccinations are the best way to achieve that.
He noted that the donation of the 146, 250 Pfizer vaccines by the United States will be used exclusively for the children’s inoculation programme.
“…When we come out to a school, we would really like to see that all the students from that school would have brought their consent form from their parents so that we can vaccinate the entire school and when we vaccinate the entire school we can come back and we will have the entire school being safe,” Anthony said.
He observed that around the world, more transmissible variants are spreading and children are also becoming infected with the virus and showing more severe symptoms.
Further, while the authorities have been able to procure vaccines for children between the ages of 12 and 18, clinical trials are currently ongoing for the younger children to determine whether the lower age groups can be inoculated. When these trials are completed and the data is presented, the minister noted that authorities will then open up COVID-19 vaccinations for children in the 5 to 11 years-age group.
While speaking on vaccines, Anthony noted that Guyana has had previous success with other vaccines, adding, “So we know it [vaccination] works, and that is why we have to encourage every single person who is within that age to go and get vaccinated,” he urged.
Accompanied
Meanwhile two students, Danah Shiwgobin and Ramon Cummings, both of Saint Stanislaus College, were the first two teens to be inoculated on Thursday. Cummings was accompanied by his older sister, Gabrelle Cummings-Atherley who told members of the media that their father gave consent for him to be vaccinated.
“We believe that this is the best move for us when it comes to Ramon because of course he will be interacting with teachers and fellow students come September when school reopens,” Cummings-Atherley said. She added that since vaccination is the way to go to fight the pandemic it should be done so as to aid in the collective effort.
“If he needs to be vaccinated in order to be educated, that is our aim and that is our goal for him to be educated. So if the vaccine is necessary he will get it,” she added. She admitted that just like many other persons, she too was apprehensive about the vaccines, but with the recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine and the positive results for the other vaccines that are being used, she became confident enough to take the COVID-19 shot.
Cummings-Atherley disclosed that there was no apprehension from the family to have the 15-year-old vaccinated and said that everyone in their household has been inoculated. “Our entire household is actually vaccinated so Ramon was the last person to get vaccinated because he is under 18 so we are very grateful that the opportunity has come where he is able to be vaccinated.”
The education ministry has announced that this marks the first phase of the vaccination programme for children and is informing the public through posts on social media about upcoming vaccination drives at schools. On August 31, there is expected to be a vaccination drive at the Diamond Secondary School for its students and also at Covent Garden Secondary. The following day the drive will head to Queen’s College to facilitate its students along with students of St. Rose’s High School and Bishops’ High School.
On September 2, vaccinations will be done at the West Demerara Secondary School for those students and those of Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary, La’Venture Secondary, and Patentia Secondary. All of these vaccination drives are expected to be conducted between 8:30am and 3:00pm. These students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
At the MovieTowne parking lot on Sunday, the two ministries will conducting a vaccination drive for adolescents from 9:00am to 4:00pm.
