With 51% of adults fully vaccinated, Guyana inches towards herd immunity

A total of 261,811 adults, or 51 per cent of the targeted adult population, have been fully vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccines, signalling that Guyana is inching towards widespread protection from the deadly virus.

This was highlighted by the Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony during his daily COVID-19 update on Monday.

In addition to the percentage of people fully vaccinated, Dr. Anthony also related that 391,521 adults or 76.3 per cent of the population, have received at least one COVID-19 dose.

Dr. Anthony also provided a regional distribution of the people who are fully vaccinated. This is as follows:

1. Region One (Barima- Waini): 43.2 per cent
2. Region Two (Pomeroon- Supenaam): 41.6 per cent
3. Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara): 48.9 per cent
4. Region Four (Demerara- Mahaica): 58.5 per cent
5. Region Five (Mahaica- Berbice): 51.9 per cent
6. Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne): 49.8 per cent
7. Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni): 46.9 per cent
8. Region Eight (Potaro- Siparuni): 34. 8 per cent
9. Region Nine (Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo): 53.4 per cent
10. Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice): 22.3 per cent

Previously, the Health Minister explained that Guyana had been striving to vaccinate all eligible adults, teenagers older than 12 years old and starting Friday, children aged five to 11 years old. This is being done to ensure that they are protected against experiencing the more severe and life-threatening forms of the disease COVID-19.

As part of efforts to achieve this herd immunity, Guyana had been aiming to vaccinate about 80 per cent of the targeted adult population; that would be about 410,469 adults out of an estimate of 512,983 adults. Efforts are also being made to vaccinate about 58,345 children in the 12 to 17 age group. The total number of children in this age group is 72,904.

It is not yet clear exactly how many children are aged five to 11 years old but there are some 84,000 primary school children and 27,000 nursery school children. Not all of those children, however, will be eligible for the vaccines since they all do not fall within the five to 11 age category.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony also related that some 28,345 individuals (or 38.9 per cent of the population) between the ages 12 to 18 years old have received a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine; some 19,536 (26.8 per cent) have received both vaccine doses.