Trying to figure this vaccination math out...
The Ministry of Health has been extremely quiet today but there are still lingering questions with regard to the purchase of the Sputnik vaccine. I am still awaiting some answers to questions I posed yesterday.
On Monday, the Minister of Health told the National Assembly that Guyana purchased 400,000 sputnik vaccines, which represents 200,000 first dose and 200,000 2nd dose.
Yesterday the Ministry further explained that Guyana has so far received 305,000 total doses with 95,000 outstanding for the purchase.
Now today, the Ministry's Health Advisor announced that the total number of people fully vaccinated against COVID using Sputnik is 61,000. That simply means 61,000 people receiving both the 1st and 2nd dose. Now, 2nd doses have not been available for the past 3 weeks. So that means, based on the Ministry's figures, it used up all of the 2nd doses, which would be the 61,000 that make up the total vaccinated number.
If we go back to the original statement that 305,000 Sputnik vaccines have been received so far, and we minus the 2nd doses given, it would then mean 61,000 out of the 305,000 vaccines received were 2nd doses and that leaves the total number of first dose vaccines received at 244,000 (305,000 - 61,000 = 244,000)
If according to the Ministry, its purchase of 400,000 represents 200,000 first dose and 200,000 2nd dose, then how did it end up with an extra 44,000 first dose vaccines?
But the figures get trickier because with 244,000 first doses received, that means the total number of 2nd doses that we need to have would be 244,000 also. With only 61,000 2nd doses administered before they ran out of 2nd doses, that means that there are still 183,000 2nd dose vaccines to be received to match the first dose number.
There was clearly some issue with purchases and delivery...its either more first doses were purchased than 2nd doses or more 1st doses were delivered than expected...
The Ministry needs to explain these numbers and also give some additional assurances to the people awaiting the 2nd dose as to when those 2nd doses will eventually arrive.
There are thousands of persons right now on that list for 2nd doses.