Some 530 children affected by Coronavirus since March 2020

More than 530 children between the ages of 0 to 14 years old have tested positive for COVID-19 since the first case was recorded in Guyana. 114 children between the ages of 0 and 5 have tested positive, 176 children  between the ages of 5 to 9 tested positive and 247 children between the ages of 10 and 14 were tested positive from March 2020 to now.

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony said that children are asymptomatic but the only reason that the Ministry detected children who were positive was due to contact tracing in various households, “because we have been doing that we have detected a number of children who have come back positive” the Minister said. Minster Anthony said that there were no serious ailments affecting children, “most of them were asymptomatic and were monitored at home and basically they have recovered,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister pointed out that there is no vaccine available for the immunisation of children, both Pfizer and Modern were given emergency use authorisation for these vaccines but those cannot be used to immunize children the Minister said. He pointed out that Pfizer has started clinical trials for children between the ages of 12 -15 and will commence trials in another two months for children between the 5-12 age group.

Guyana is already preparing for acquisition as well as storage and transportation of the vaccines.