Persons found with fake COVID tests will be prosecuted – Dr. Anthony

Guyanese at home and persons attempting to enter the country are being placed on notice that should they be found using forged/fake COVID-19 test results, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Guyana has made it mandatory for all persons entering the country to produce a negative PCR COVID-19 test in order to be allowed in; other countries have imposed the same restriction for persons entering their jurisdiction.

The Minister said while there have been no specific cases of people using forged tests to leave the country, there have been reports of persons using fake tests to gain entry into Guyana.

Dr. Anthony warned that should this be found to be true, those persons will be detained, handed over to the police and placed before the courts.  The COVID-19 public health ordinance makes provision for this to happen.

The Minister said health officials have launched an investigation into the reports and port health, immigration, airline and other officials have all been alerted

Dr. Anthony assured that these persons are trained to detect and identify genuine laboratory tests.

Apart from the public health care system, only one private health care provider has been authorized in Guyana to offer the tests.