The Government of Guyana has no intention of closing the country’s borders amid a COVID-19 surge. Guyana has more than 4,000 active cases and has recorded over 700 deaths since March 2020. The number of active cases has since quadrupled within a month, with over 150 hospitalised and the Health Ministry scampering to expand its hospitals to accommodate more patients.
Also, a recent travel warning was issued by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), listing Guyana as Level Four – a category reserved for countries that are regarded as ‘high risk’ of contraction and transmissibility.
Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony said today that systems will remain in their current configuration, that is, the provision of a PCR test and vaccination as the only requirement for travel.
However, travel between Guyana and Brazil will continue to be regulated.
“That border has been closed for a year now, and on Thursdays, we allow trucks from Brazil to come across and persons who want to buy things in Guyana can buy those things and take it back to Brazil…that would continue until we see a significant reduction in cases.”
Minister Anthony said that health officials will meanwhile continue to monitor and test the population.
“It’s no secret we have an increase in cases, we have to continue to monitor, we have to continue to test and once we find positive people, to get them to isolate and those who have moderate or severe COVID and warrant hospitalisations, that we’re able to hospitalise them and treat them properly….So, the CDC is going to continue to do its rating…And there are lots of countries in the Caribbean that have moved up to a Level Four and that’s because, across the region, we have seen this surge of the Delta virus,” the Minister said.
