Despite a global shortage of Sputnik V COVID-19 second-dose vaccines, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony yesterday said the government will not suspend its use, as the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has advised that the gap between shots can be up to 180 days with the vaccine still maintaining its efficacy.
However, Anthony noted, while this may be the case, the Government has been using the 90-day gap between shots that the RDIF initially recommended. He added that no one has yet gone beyond the 180-day gap and the authorities are hoping to address the second-dose shortage soon.
The first and second doses of Sputnik V utilise different adenoviruses. While the first dose has been readily available, the second dose has been in short supply in many of the countries using the Russian vaccine.
Persons who have received their first dose have indicated to this newspaper that they were unable to access their second doses from the tranches that arrived recently as they were told that only those who received their first dose in April are eligible.
Presently, some 80,000 persons who have received their first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine are eligible for their second shot.
“We have been working with the 90-day interval. We have about 80,000 [persons] remaining to be vaccinated and we are hoping to resolve that shortly. I would encourage people to continue to get their first dose because we will address that shortly so people would be able to get their second doses,” he said during yesterday’s COVID-19 update.
According to Anthony, as of Monday, 337,030 Guyanese adults have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, accounting for 65.7% of the population while 175,037 persons have been fully vaccinated, accounting for 34.1% of the adult population.
Despite the shortage of the Sputnik V vaccine, the minister said that there are adequate vaccines available for adults and encouraged persons who are eligible for the second dose of the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines to get their second dose.
He disclosed that the rollout of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Region Eight has begun and will soon be extended to Region Seven and far-flung areas in regions Nine and One.
With regard to the adolescents COVID-19 vaccine campaign, Anthony said that the ministry has trained more than 50 healthcare workers across the country which now enables the authorities to independently administer the Pfizer vaccine.
He said that children continue to visit vaccination sites to get their vaccine. Thus far 18, 862 have already been vaccinated, accounting for 25.9% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18. Overall, he said, the campaign has gotten off to a great start while iterating that the campaign is not just for schoolchildren but for all those within that age group who may not be in school.
Anthony disclosed that the ministry is in the process of setting up fixed sites to administer the Pfizer vaccine which will make getting a second dose much easier.
