While noting that the countrywide vaccination rollout has been going smoothly, President Irfaan Ali, has expressed worry about the reluctance from persons in Regions 8 and 10 to take the Covid-19 jab.

“In every single administrative region, we would have had coverage of between 30 to 36% above 18 years old with the exception of Regions 8 and 10. So two Regions we are not having this coverage- particularly in the case of region 10 only 8.9% of the population took the first dose of the vaccine to date, this is very concerning, this is very alarming,” the President said.

The President made the statement in an address last evening and he said persons in Region 10 need to understand the seriousness of the virus and also recognize that their Region is the gateway to the interior which borders Brazil and the likelihood of the borders being breached is a challenge his administration is facing.

Region 10 has the lowest vaccination rate in the country.

“We are therefore concerned about the low acceptance level of the first dose in region 10. I therefore continue to appeal to every Guyanese- that though not mandatory at this stage, taking the vaccine is the best option we have to save lives and exit the pandemic,” the President pointed out.

So far, more than 154,000 persons have taken the first dose of the vaccine, that accounts for 31% of the population 18 years and older.

 In terms of age, 61% of persons who took the vaccines are above the age of 60, while 29% of the persons who took the vaccines are between the ages of 40-59 and 21% of the persons who took the vaccines are between the ages of 18-39.

The President is once again calling on Guyanese, especially the younger population to get vaccinated.

“I want to take this opportunity to call upon all our young people to go out there and get vaccinated, to ensure that they take this seriously. Not taking this seriously put at risk your families, put at risk your friends, your community, and your country,” The President said.

The President said his administration will continue sensitizing the public with hopes of the buy-in of the majority of the citizens to take the vaccine.

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