Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Monday, outlined the schedule for booster shots in relation to the various COVID-19 vaccines administered in Guyana.
It is recommended that persons who took both doses of the Pfizer vaccine should also take the said vaccine as a booster shot, while those who took the Moderna vaccine could complement it with the same vaccine or Pfizer.
For persons who took the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, a booster shot of the Sinopharm vaccine is recommended 52 days after the dose. Meanwhile, persons who took the Sinopharm vaccine can take the same vaccine as their booster shot.
This should be done three to six months after the second jab. The minister noted that persons who took the AstraZeneca vaccine can use either AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine which would be Pfizer as a booster. This should also be taken six months after the second dose.
In terms of Sputnik V, persons can take a booster shot of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine six months after the second dose. The COVID-19 booster shot is now available to persons 18 years and older, persons 50 years and older, those with comorbidities, and health care workers.
“From today, we have made booster doses available to anyone who is age 50 and above…and [those who] would have received the two-dose regimen they are now entitled to get a booster, once after the second dose would have been about six months or so,” said Dr Anthony.
He added, “So that is now available plus if you have any comorbidities if you are older than 18 and you have any comorbidities then you can also get access to a booster shot.”
He related that persons 50 years and older, with or without comorbidities can take the booster shot. Health care workers will also access the booster shot, as they are more at risk of contracting the COID-19 disease.
The health minister said persons can go to any of the COVID-19 vaccination sites across the country to get their booster shot. Vaccination cards will be required to record the dosage.
As of Sunday, 396, 042, or 77.2 per cent of the adult population received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine whereas 269, 791, or 52.6 per cent received their second dose.
The minister said for persons 12 to 17 years old, 28, 709 or 39.4 per cent took the first dose, and 19, 905 or 27.3 per cent are now fully vaccinated.
