AS a precautionary measure to prevent the possible import of the new variant of the COVID-19 virus found in Brazil, the Government of Guyana has suspended air and land travel from that country for the next 30 days.
Earlier this month, health authorities were warned about the variation, or strain, of a new COVID-19 discovered in Brazil. Since then, local authorities have tried to restrict travel between the two countries.
The land border between the two countries, Takutu Bridge, has been closed since March, 2020. Limited travel is allowed on Thursdays where goods are brought to or transported to Guyana, and this is said to be overseen by the authority of the two countries.
However, travel between the two countries has presented some problems as it is a wide border that is difficult to patrol. To address the possible illegal crossing, Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, in which there have been more patrols of joint services in both countries.
On Thursday morning, however, this newspaper was informed that the decision had also been made to restrict air travel. Air-to-air commuting between the two counties is usually from Boa Vista, in Brazil, to Eugene F. Correia International Airport, in Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), or vice versa.
“With immediate effect, today (Thursday) the government officially restricts all Brazilian travel by air and land,” confirmed the Director of the National Task Force COVID-19 (NCTF), Colonel Nazrul Hussain with the Guyana thereafter Chronicle.
He emphasized that this was a precautionary measure, given the worsening situation of COVID-19 in Brazil. The Guyana Chronicle understands that local authorities will, however, allow the continued importation of essential supplies from Brazil.
In a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Region Nine Regional Chairman Brian Allicock highlighted the region’s fears, given its proximity to Brazil and the illegal crossings taking place.
Also of concern, related to Allicock, is that it has been noticed that many of the people coming from Brazil are seeking medical attention. It turns out that the people seeking medical attention were Guyanese who lived in Brazil.
The city of Manaus in Brazil has been reported to be running out of oxygen needed by patients, as there has been a surge in COVID-19. Experts have said this case was exacerbated by the appearance of the variant in Brazil. Allicock contacted that few people from as far as Manaus appear to be making their way to Lethem Regional Hospital for treatment.
Minister Anthony also said that health authorities in Region Nine have been looking for any changes in the epidemiological pattern of the virus, which could possibly indicate that the strain has been imported. The Regional Chairman, on the other hand, said that authorities in the region might have to consider ‘lock-in’ to protect residents from being infected with the virus and its new strain.
“We don’t have too much capacity to deal with COVID-19 or the new strain … we just hope we don’t have that kind of disease over here that requires that oxygen and so on,” said Allicock.
The Brazilian variant is the newest variant of COVID-19 found; other variants have been discovered in the United Kingdom and South Africa, following a type of genetic analysis called genomic sequencing.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has stressed that even with protocols and travel requirements in place, Caribbean countries are at “very high” risk of importing the three known variants. The UK has banned travel from a number of countries, including all of South America, to reduce the possibility of importing Brazilian strains.