While reporting “steady progress” in the uptake of second doses of COVID-19 vaccines, Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony on Friday stressed the need for citizens to continue to follow guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus, especially given the detection of the Delta variant in several countries.
During Friday’s COVID-19 update, Anthony said that as of Thursday 230,486 received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and this accounts for 47.4% of adult population, while 104,605 have received both doses, which accounts for 21.5% of adult population.
“I think we are making steady progress in terms of people getting their second dose,” he said. He stressed, however, that persons should continue follow the guidelines to ensure maximum protection, especially considering the detection elsewhere of the Delta COVID-19 variant, which seems to be much more dangerous than the rest.
The Delta variant first appeared in December 2020 in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It descended on New Delhi a few months later, with almost 30,000 cases recorded by the end of April.
It has since appeared in several countries across the world and also appears to be causing surges in Russia, Indonesia, and many other countries. In the United States, where its prevalence is now estimated to be at least 14%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared Delta a “variant of concern” on June 15.
Guyana is yet to confirm the presence of a variant as it is still to conclude arrangements for the testing of samples.
According to the Anthony, it seems that persons who are unvaccinated seem susceptible to the variant and it is likely that those who have been infected with COVID-19 before can become re-infected. He also said that scientists are also studying to see if the current PCR test would be able to detect the variant. While the efficacy of vaccines against the variant is being questioned, Anthony said it’s important to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccines available as this will ensure a less severe reaction to the virus.
