Health workers in Region 10, particularly the town of Linden, have sought to go from house to house to vaccinate persons against the coronavirus.
Region 10 has the lowest percentage of vaccination and the Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony Tuesday said that each region can choose whatever innovative method works to ensure persons receive the vaccine as it is the only way Guyana can get back to normal.
Dr Anthony said that in the first instance of the house-to-house campaign, 53 persons took their vaccine.
“I’m happy more and more community leaders are talking about getting people vaccinated,” Dr Anthony stated.
The Region 10 Chairman has undertaken to work with others to ensure more persons are vaccinated.
The Region Ten Vice-Chairman, Douglas Gittens, died on Sunday from COVID-19. He had taken his first dose of the vaccine.
Health officials have said persons are only fully immunised after taking both shots of the vaccine.
The Health Minister has been encouraging persons to come forward and take their second dose.
As of Tuesday, 222,373 people received the first dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines; this represents 45.7% of the adult population. However, just 90, 157 have taken their second dose.
Meanwhile, school- aged youths and adolescents in Linden have benefitted from COVID-19 sensitization sessions, organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Pan- American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health (WHO).
The initiative was hosted under the School Health Club Programme of the Adolescent Health Unit.
During the sessions which were conducted at schools from June 9 to 11, the students were educated on topics including COVID-19 prevention, protection and health and safety guidelines.
The For the Children’s Sake Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization organization based in Linden, which targets youth development, also benefitted from the sensitization sessions.
Schools which participated included the New Silvercity Secondary, Linden Foundation, Mackenzie High, Wisburg and Harmony Secondary Schools.
Upon completion, the youths were given COVID-19 prevention Care Packages.
In Guyana, there are 102 persons currently hospitalised because of COVID-19.
Six persons are at the Linden Hospital, three at the Bartica Hospital, eight in New Amsterdam and Skeldon Hospitals, six at the Mahaicony Hospital, eight at the West Demerara Regional Hospital and 70 at the Ocean View Hospital, with 21 being in the Intensive Care Unit.
