-Health Minister
Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Frank Anthony says the tabling of the motion, ‘Global Pandemic of COVID-19’ is important to the country’s fight against the disease.
During Thursday’s COVID-19 update, the Minister said the motion aims highlight the seriousness of the pandemic in Guyana.
“It was brought to the Parliament to have a discussion pertaining to this situation generally with Covid. We looked here at the regional and international situation along with the local situation and the response. This is important because I think everybody would like us to come up with a strategy of how we are going to exit the pandemic.”
Minister Anthony said by all calculations, the best strategy is to achieve herd immunity. Herd immunity occurs when a satisfactory percentage of the population becomes immune to an infection. This can be done through vaccination.
He emphasised the need for discussions on the issue in the National Assembly.
“All of us need to be saying the same things, encouraging people to take the right steps, prevention, gearing our systems and supporting the work on making sure that our health care workers are properly protected and so forth.”
The motion was passed last evening as a Corona Virus Immunization Bill will be brought before the National Assembly in early 2021. Minister Anthony said that for Guyana to beat Covid and to have the necessary systems in place, the country’s laws need to be fixed.
He however noted that the new legislation is not to force vaccines on the populace, but rather to guide the process of vaccination among adults.
The Ministry is expected to roll out the National COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, which will be responsible for administering the vaccine once it reaches Guyana.