A quantity of the Chinese-made Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines purchased by the Government of Guyana arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timheri, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Tuesday night.
After an initial donation of 20, 000 Sinopharm vaccines from the Chinese government, Guyana went out to procure the additional 100,000 of the Sinopharm vaccines. Guyana is buying the vaccines for US$15 per dose.
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, during his daily COVID-19 update on Wednesday, said a “majority” of the Sinopharm vaccines arrived on Tuesday night and that the health authorities would have to count the vials to see exactly how many doses arrived.
He, however, highlighted that the second and final shipment of the Sinopharm vaccines is expected to arrive by Saturday, later this week. This vaccine, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), has an efficacy of about 79 per cent against symptomatic infection from SAR-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease, COVID-19.
Dr. Anthony noted that the local health authorities will continue to use the existing dosing interval for the sinopharm vaccines; that is, the second dose shall be given four weeks after the first dose is administered.
Meanwhile, he assured members of the public that 50,000 of the Sinopharm vaccines will be placed into storage so that the second dose can be given to the individuals who received the first dose.
Sinopharm, like the AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines, is administered in two doses.
