The Ministry of Health on Friday received a donation of 40,800 Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from the Republic of Korea.
Ramesh Dookhoo, Honorary Consul in Guyana for the Republic of Korea, presented the vaccines to the Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony at a simple handing-over ceremony at the ministry’s bond in Kingston, Georgetown.
While expressing his gratitude to the South Korean representative, Anthony said that although the vaccines will be used primarily for first and second doses, it can also be used for booster shots.
“So we’ll use these vaccines as part of our vaccination programme. They’re all adult doses so we’ll be able to use it to give primary doses, first and second dose, but we can also use it for booster doses.”
He also used the occasion to encourage persons to take their booster shots, which are now available for persons 12 years and older, and which can be accessed at any of the vaccination sites around the country.
Anthony also emphasised that because of the Omicron variant now present in Guyana, persons need to take their booster shots since their immunity from their first two doses can wane and they can become vulnerable to the variant.
The Minister further noted that another donation of the Pfizer vaccine from the United States was expected and another handing-over ceremony will be held early this week for it.
