Romanian Higher Defense Council Approves Vaccination Strategy
Romania's vaccination strategy against the new coronavirus is approved by the country's Higher Council of National Defense
Leyla Cheamil, 04.12.2020, 14:00
Vaccines, alongside other public health measures, will bring closer to an end the acute stage in the pandemic and will help economies start their recovery, the World Health Organisation has stated, while the Covid-19 pandemic keeps wreaking havoc across the world, and scientist are striving, against the clock, to develop vaccines.
Pending the arrival of vaccines in the country, Romania has developed the national vaccination strategy, which was approved on Thursday in the extraordinary meeting of the Higher Council of National Defence, chaired by President Klaus Iohannis. It sets out the whole process and chain of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, from general principles to the organisation of vaccination or vaccine storage.
The document stipulates that vaccination will be done in stages and will start with certain population groups, established on epidemiological and medical criteria. Thus, priority will be given to employees in the field of health, welfare, people at risk and workers in key areas, such as education, national security, transport or energy. At a later stage, the vaccine will be available to the rest of the population. Vaccinations will be recorded in an electronic register.
President Klaus Iohannis has said the intention to vaccinate against the new coronavirus is “very high” among medical staff. The head of state has voiced hope that, if all goes as planned, it is possible that, by the summer, the first vaccination campaign will have ended. Klaus Iohannis has specified that it is very possible that, at the beginning of next year, Romania will benefit from the first tranche of vaccine.
Klaus Iohannis: “I can tell you, at this moment, that it is very possible to have a first tranche, with a number of approximately one million doses. Medical staff and people at risk will be vaccinated first. Vaccination is voluntary. Vaccination is safe, effective, planned. It is very, very important to know that these types of vaccine that are now being approved are safe, effective, at the highest European standards, and this is very important news for Romanians.”
Vaccination will take place in centres in each county and in the capital. There will also be mobile teams participating in this process. Authorities estimate that 70% of the total population could participate in this vaccination campaign, which would be associated with a significant decrease in virus transmission, thus curbing the pandemic. (M. Ignatescu)
