The Government of Guyana will await guidance before administering a second dose of the Johnson and Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, says Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony. The J&J vaccine is being administered locally and aboard as a single-shot vaccine with most of Guyana’s allotment going to hinterland communities. The decision was made to administer the single-shot vaccine in those communities to avoid logistical challenges that normally accompany double-dose vaccines.
The manufactures of the vaccine are however on the move to add a second component to the vaccine, which will likely see a second dose becoming a requirement for recipients, Dr Anthony said today during his COVID-19 update.
“But studies that are now being done by the company [which] might indicate that persons, who received the first jab, might have to get the second one. But the information and the data have not yet been submitted to the FDA (Food and Drug Department, United States) and therefore, we’ll await guidance on whether people would need a second dose,” Dr. Anthony said.
