An additional 86,000 doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccines were ordered by the Ministry of Health to bolster the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination rollout, the Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony said on Wednesday.
During his daily COVID-19 update, Dr. Anthony explained that the government initially ordered 400,000 doses of this Russian vaccine. Of that amount, 200,000 doses were first doses (known as “Component I”) while the remaining 200,000 doses were second doses (known as “Component II”).
This Sputnik V vaccine is administered in two doses like the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines that are also being administered locally. Unlike the AstraZeneca and Sinopharm vaccines, the second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine is not the same as the first.
To date, Guyana received 244, 268 first doses and 61, 268 second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
Explaining why there are 44,268 more first doses than what was made in the initial order, the Health Minister, on Wednesday, said that a second order of 86,000 vaccines, including 43,000 first doses and 43,000 second doses, was made.
Earlier this month, $619 million was approved by the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly for the procurement of several thousand more vaccines. Of that amount, Dr. Anthony said that $341 million have been allocated for vaccines through the CARICOM- African Union mechanism, while $278 million was allocated to purchase an additional 58,000 Sputnik V vaccines.
It is unclear, however, what is the cost of the 86,000 doses mentioned by the Minister on Wednesday since this is 28,000 doses more than the amount the Health Minister spoke of in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the minister also noted that 139,000 second doses are outstanding from the first order, while 43,000 second doses are outstanding from the second order. Collectively, Guyana is therefore yet to receive 182,000 second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.
