Kids above 2 Years must wear masks , says Guyana Government

The Ministry of Health of Guyana has issued a new advisory as the fight remains against the spread of COVID-19.

Monday, 19th July 2021

Guyana: The Ministry of Health of Guyana has issued a new advisory as the fight remains against the spread of COVID-19. In a declaration, Health Ministry has circulated a warning for children by urging parents to ensure that all kids above the age of two wear face masks. They appear to be at more risk of catching the COVID virus. “We should assist children in wearing masks, particularly in the light that right now globally, you have the delta variant that is presently circulating, and with this distinct variant, anyone who has not vaccinated would be at risk which carries children,” said the minister of health Dr Frank Anthony while his recent coronavirus update. Dr Anthony revealed that children with underlying conditions should wear medical-type masks for extra protection, while those without medical conditions can wear cloth masks. But by the new strains of the virus, the Minister said children necessity to wear their masks. So globally, we are seeing many more children are becoming infected, and because of those infections, they are staying hospitalised. With the original strain of the virus, we would have seen that when kids are infected, they received a milder form of the disease. Still, with specific variants that are circulating when children get contaminated, a small percentage of them can end up in the hospital.” The Minister emphasised that he is not favouring children using face shields as it does not give enough protection, particularly in crowded environments. Children must also cover with their masks if they are outside playing with other children, the minister urged. “If they are outdoor by themselves, they can go without any of the masks; however, if parents are with other children, it is suggested that they should have a mask on. If they are going to be some measure from each other, then you can think about not using the mask,” he said. Since the 1st case of the pandemic was registered in Guyana a year ago, more than 1 500 children have contracted coronavirus, with three of them losing their battle against the virus. Recently, a 16-year-old died from coronavirus, and at least three others are in hospital.