Authorities urge vaccination

Romanian authorities are encouraging people to get the Covid vaccine so as to put an end to the coronavirus pandemic.

Eugen Coroianu, 22.04.2021, 14:00

Vaccination
is the surest way to stop the spread of the virus, president Klaus Iohannis again
emphasised on Wednesday, urging people to use every facility available to get
the vaccine. His statements come as this week the number of available vaccines
is higher than that of people on the waiting lists. The president gave the
example of the countries that managed to reach a vaccination rate that allowed them
to ease restrictions. We’re getting closer to that moment when we go back to
normality and are able to hold concerts, reopen the hospitality industry and
enjoy a peaceful summer and go on holiday at home or abroad. The only condition
is to increase the vaccination rate, said the president, who continued:

We
are in the middle of the pandemic. No one should believe that the pandemic is
over just because spring has come. Unfortunately, that is not so. The measures
we have taken, what we call restrictions, have not got rid of the pandemic. These
restrictions only diminish its impact, slow down its spread so that our heroes
on the front line, the medical workers, have a chance to treat those who
develop severe forms. There is only one way of fighting the pandemic and that’s
vaccination.

President
Klaus Iohannis also attended the opening of a mobile vaccination facility where
he said he was pleased with the vaccine rollout, with as many as 90,000 people
been given the vaccine in one day. The new health minister Ioana Mihăilă said
she would propose an emergency order to allow GPs to give the vaccine to their
patients. We need the vaccines to reach people we haven’t been able to reach so
far. All possible resources must be used in the next few months to vaccinate people,
because that’s the only solution to decrease the number of cases in need of medical
treatment, Mihăilă also said.

An
opinion poll conducted by MedLife medial company indicates that only around 30%
of Romania’s population above the age of 16 wants to get the vaccine by the end
of the year, which is far below expectations. The survey also suggests that the
fear of side effects, both long term and immediate, is the main reason why
people won’t get the vaccine and that education level is a factor in desire for
Covid vaccine, with people with less education less likely to agree to vaccination. (CM)