Guyana receives 24,000 doses of vaccine from COVAX

Guyana received 24,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX facility- a partnership between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) and the United States.

The arrival is a historic step in ensuring the fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, in the largest vaccine acquisition and supply operation in history.

This delivery is part of the first phase of deliveries for Guyana, and more vaccines are expected to arrive in succession during 2021. According to the first round of COVAX awards, Guyana is expected to run doses until May until it reaches 100,800, the amount raised by COVAX.

The Revolving Fund of PAHO, which is responsible for procuring COVID-19 vaccines for the countries of America under the COVAX facility, has sent 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine, manufactured by SK Bioscience of South Korea. The vaccines arrived today at Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Georgetown.

"It is very reassuring to see this arrival, and it means that more people can be protected against COVID-19," said Dr Luis Codina, representative of PAHO / WHO in Guyana said. "We will remain to work with the nation to support vaccination, as well as the whole package of well-known public health and social measures that can help us stop the spread of COVID-19, protect health services and save lives. "

Guyana is one of ten countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that receive free vaccines through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC). Guyana is the first AMC country in the Caribbean to receive vaccines via COVAX.

'The Government of Guyana welcomes the arrival of vaccines from COVAX AMC. These vaccinations will certainly help expand the current vaccination efforts and protect many people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. We would like to thank COVAX, PAHO / WHO, UNICEF and the UN family for their efforts to secure these vaccines for Guyana.

These vaccines will definitely help accelerate our efforts to achieve herd immunity in a timely manner, 'says Dr Leslie Ramsammy, adviser to the Minister of Health, who, on behalf of dr. Frank Anthony, Guyana's Minister of Health, spoke.

"The arrival of these vaccines and future deliveries brings hope to families, especially children, who have experienced the effects of the crisis as a result of the pandemic, with a major impact on education, mental health, protection and food security," he said. Irfan said Akhtar, UNICEF, deputy representative, who, on behalf of Mr Nicolas Pron, UNICEF representative in Guyana, spoke.

"With these vaccines, more people will be protected: an important step in making sure no one is left behind and that we build a better future for children and their families."

Since the start of the pandemic, the UN system in Guyana has been working with the government, civil society and other partners to identify the needs of the population and help them respond to the health crisis and its socio-economic consequences.

"Under the leadership of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the United Nations system has come together to help countries respond to the devastating global impact of COVID-19," said Mikiko Tanaka, UN co-ordinator for Guyana.

"COVAX is a global partnership that has won very well to ensure no one is left behind on the road to recovery and SDGs."

The first case of COVID-19 in Guyana was reported in March 2020. Since then, the country has confirmed 10,168 cases and 227 deaths due to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes this disease, according to data from Guyana's Ministry of Health from March 28, 2021.

COVAX aims to provide vaccinations for at least 20% of the population of each participating country during 2021. In this first round of vaccines, all COVAX participating countries will receive doses to vaccinate between 2.2 and 2.6% of their population.

The only exceptions are the small island developing countries, which receive a vaccine allocation to cover between 16 and 20% of their population due to the high delivery cost of fulfilling small numbers of vaccines.

Until vaccination is popular among the population, basic public health actions will remain the basis of the pandemic response. For public health authorities, this means ongoing diagnostic tests, contact detection, isolation, quarantine and quality care. And for individuals, it means continuing with physical distance, hand hygiene, the use of masks, adequate ventilation of indoor environments and the avoidance of crowded spaces.