Approximately 25,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are expected to arrive in Guyana this week.
This was revealed by Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony during his daily COVID-19 update where he stated that the vaccines will be arriving in the country through the COVAX mechanism.
The vaccine which is currently being used as part of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination and booster programme has been in short supply recently. This vaccine was listed as the one to provide persons who were fully vaccinated with the Russian-made Sputnik V with booster doses.
Guyana had previously purchased 34,000 of the Johnson and Johnson single-dose shots from the African Union platform.
Dr. Anthony yesterday revealed that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was designated as the one to be used as a booster dose to persons fully vaccinated with Sputnik V.
While he admitted that the vaccine has been in low supply he added that the committee which was responsible for determining what booster doses to administer here, after conducting scientific evaluation, saw it fit to also give the Pfizer vaccine as a booster dose.
“…When the committee that oversees these things in the ministry would have done that scientific evaluation, they felt that Pfizer can also be offered and therefore we have adjusted the schedule to allow our staff to be able to give that Pfizer dose as a booster dose,” the minister said.
As such he said if someone is desirous of having a booster dose and the vaccination site does not have the Johnson & Johnson shot they would be offered the Pfizer vaccine.
