Immunisation against COVID-19 to be done in four phases – Health Minister

The Ministry of Health will deploy COVID-19 vaccines in four phases with the aim of immunisation of all citizens. On Monday, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony confirmed that elderly citizens and teachers are priority groups.

Already, health care workers who are considered to be on the frontline of the fight against the pandemic are being vaccinated.

Dr Anthony said that is considered Phase one, (A), “Then Phase One (B) would be older people (60 years-old and above), Phase One (C) would be persons with core morbidities, Phase 1 (D) would be  other essential workers like, teachers, then we go to a second phase,” the Minister explained.

That second phase would target persons who are 50 years old and above, among other groups.

“And in this second phase we can also include the joint services and then we go to the third phase, where we will take everybody, 18 years and above, and in that way we will be able to cover substantially, all the persons who we need to get immunised,” Dr Anthony said.

The Minister of Health said too that he envisages a fourth phase that will see the immunisation of children. But none of the vaccines have been approved for children. Guyana has been receiving vaccines under the COVAX arrangement with the United Nations and is poised to receive donations from other countries outside of that arrangement.