A total of 481 children, aged 5 to 11, took their COVID-19 jabs since Saturday when Guyana began vaccination for the age cohort.
During his COVID-19 update on Thursday, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony said that parents have responded positively to the ministry’s efforts to get these vaccines.
The 481 total is approximately 0.7 per cent of the targeted children population.
“The feedback has been a very good one, a lot of parents have commended the ministry that we are able to roll out the vaccine for this age group.
“We have gotten commendations for being able to do this,” Dr. Anthony said.
As such, he encouraged more parents to take their children to get the vaccine. Guyana received a total of 52, 800 doses of the special (pediatric) Pfizer vaccines from Spain as a donation.
The ministry, he said, is currently focusing on this age group and the uptake before it procures more children’s vaccines.
Importantly, he explained, “Right now our focus is going to be on the 5-11 (age group) and again, once we are able to get us a substantial amount of people vaccinated by then maybe we will see how the four years to six months vaccine for that age group when that will become available.”
The Health Minister, however, said that there is no vaccine available in-country for the four years to six months old children as yet.
Even so, he related that the United States (US) regulatory authorities have granted emergency use authorisation for the younger age group to be immunised. And the local authorities will monitor the rollout there.
Meanwhile, the country’s vaccination statistics currently stand at 443,120 first dose jabs for adults which represents 86.4 per cent; a total of 342,850 adults or 66.8 per cent took their second dose.
Additionally, 34,822 teenagers (12 to 17 years) have taken their first dose; this accounts for some 47.7 per cent of the targeted population and some 25, 525 teenagers, 35 per cent of the population, took their second dose of the vaccine.
So far, 67,355 persons have taken their booster shots.