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The Minister of Health highlighted the importance of the influenza vaccine, noting that they have previously signed with 3 companies to supply the vaccine.
“We are currently developing the COVID-19 vaccination business plan, together with the National Vaccination Committee, which is also implementing the population prioritization framework,” Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias said in an interview with Real News. on Sunday. the course of clinical trials of vaccines in preparation.
“There are several vaccines in the final stages of clinical trials, based on the criteria of global organizations, which are safety and efficacy. “The European Union has already signed pre-purchase agreements with 3 companies (AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, Johnson & Johnson) and is in advanced talks with several,” he said.
Note that the flu shot is progressing smoothly. “We are optimistic that the first to be vaccinated are people 60 years of age or older and those with underlying diseases,” he said, adding: “In this way we are building a wall of immunity, which together with precautionary measures we it will help. to face the double battle we are waging. To give you concrete information, to date 2,718,714 vaccines have been prescribed, 2,129,719 have been made and there are 3,100,000 on the market “.
Asked about the pressure exerted on the health system and what is the level of cases that hospitals will no longer be able to support, V. Kikilias explains that the number of cases is not exactly the main problem, but the number of people they will need treatment for COVID-19.
We are still far from “red”, but I want people to understand that the possibilities of any Health System are not limitless and, in fact, when the NSS is not just a coronavirus. I have the September data here. In hospitals throughout the country the following were carried out:
– 516,379 patient examinations in Regular Outpatient Clinics
– 285,802 patient examinations in emergency services
– 40,032 Surgeries
– 50,114 examinations of patients in the evening operation of hospitals.
Added to this reality are the incidents of COVID-19 and once again I want to thank from the bottom of my soul all the people of the NSS, for the self-denial and heroic multimonthly battle that they are giving, “he says.
Speaking of dealing with the second and much stronger wave of the pandemic in Europe, the Minister of Health is convinced that if we all follow the precautionary measures, we will do well.
He stated that “we are now in a phase where the superficiality of the few destroys the responsibility of the many and ultimately endangers the health of all. This rapid increase in cases was mainly due to this perception: “Come on mom, don’t get stuck” “pointing out that” the phenomenon is by no means Greek, I can’t say that our society is rebellious and indifferent. “The same and much worse, in fact, it happens in all countries ”.
At the same time, he admits that “it is very difficult to observe restrictive measures for so many months, people are psychologically tired (this is what the WHO itself says), their daily lives have changed, they have been hit financially” and emphasizes: “But here we have to do with the protection of human life and we owe it to our fellow men, to our friends, to our family, to discipline ourselves ”.
