The US government yesterday donated 1,000 doses of Paxlovid, a drug used to treat COVID-19, to Guyana. A US Embassy press release said that the medication complements a separate donation of 354,660 Pfizer vaccine doses.
The release emphasized that vaccination continues to be the first line of defence against COVID-19 and the United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other U.S. Government agencies, worked closely with Guyana throughout the pandemic to protect public health and strengthen Guyana’s response to COVID-19. These resources, the US Embassy said, helped Guyana with community engagement, infection prevention and control, and laboratory systems.
Speaking at the handing over of the doses to the Ministry of Health, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Adrienne Galanek reiterated the US commitment to the people of Guyana in fighting this disease and commended the Government of Guyana for its continued strong COVID-19 response. “Over the past two decades, the United States has provided more than $140 billion in global health assistance. We are the world’s largest contributor to the international response to COVID-19. As President Biden made clear, the United States will work as a partner to address global challenges.”
Paxlovid is an antiviral medicine that works by stopping the virus that causes COVID-19 from growing and spreading in the body. It is used to treat early COVID-19 infection and helps to prevent more severe symptoms. Paxlovid does not prevent COVID-19 but is rather a treatment for individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.
