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This Monday it was announced that the Ministry of Social Security and Labor (SADM) has registered a bill that proposes a single benefit of € 100 for COVID-19 vaccination for people over 75 years of age.
Isoda: Responsible residents will get hurt
The mayor of the municipality of Marijampolė, Povilas Isoda, negatively values the proposal to encourage the vaccination of the elderly by granting them benefits of 100 euros. The mayor believes that this measure will vigorously oppose the public.
“Perhaps at the beginning it was necessary when mass vaccination began, when everyone could have the same rights. Now I think we will hear more negative than positive things. This decision is already covered in a rather negative way: the disagreement of the members of the Government. Everyone who listens to the public accepts this offer negatively, ”says P. Isoda.
According to the politician, the measure will not have a positive effect on improving vaccination rates. In addition, those who have already been vaccinated before and without any stimulus will feel a little disadvantaged.
The municipality of Marijampolė granted the population vaccination even after mass vaccination. The municipality organized lotteries in which vaccinated people were able to win various prizes.
According to P. Isoda, at that time the grievances of those who had been previously vaccinated had already been heard. Those who had previously been vaccinated could not participate in the lottery.
“When it comes to money, which is even more sensitive than prizes, there would be more negative reactions and it would probably not be entirely fair, because if it comes to low-income seniors, € 100 is a significant amount for many – an a third or even half of pensions.
I think there would be a lot of offended and hurt people who couldn’t replenish their budget because (vaccinated – aut. last.) in his own time, in an exemplary way, ”says Isoda.
Vaccination of the elderly in Marijampolė municipality does not lag behind the general Lithuanian average. 77 percent are vaccinated here. 75-79 age group and almost 69%. 80 m. and older people. Lithuania’s indicator is slightly lower, over 76 percent. and more than 65 percent.
The mayor says older adults were vaccinated by speaking to them directly. Apparently, all the older adults who lived in the municipality were called and spoke. Subsequently, seeing that the vaccination rates of the elderly were lagging behind, it was decided to organize a campaign “Bring an elderly person and vaccinate yourself”. Young people who did not have the opportunity to get vaccinated at that time were able to go to the vaccination centers with the same older adults.
According to Isoda, these are the two most effective measures to encourage vaccination of the population.
However, if all residents were encouraged to receive cash benefits, it would get results, according to Isoda.
Miškinienė: People who have been vaccinated before may feel hurt
Ausma Miškinienė, the mayor of Lazdijai district, says that various proposals are always good, but before accepting them, one must assess whether they will not have a negative long-term impact.
“The decision to encourage all older people to benefit from vaccination at a certain age would discriminate against and, in my opinion, harm older people who were genuinely conscientious, civic, thought of themselves and others, exercised their right to be vaccinated as soon as they were able.
As a result, the solution sounds good, but in my opinion, there is a programmed conflict and the question of whether, in principle, we would not discredit the issue of vaccines, or if the activity would be greater ”, says A. Miškinienė from tv3.lt .
In addition, as the mayor says, vaccination should be promoted not only for the elderly but also for other groups in society. However, A. Miškinienė would not support the idea of encouraging all residents, not just the elderly, to get vaccinated with money.
“I understand that COVID-19 is a threat, the situation is difficult to handle and so far the situation is not what we expect.” We have many problems and challenges, but it is not the only disease that exists in the world and in Lithuania, ”says A. Miškinienė.
According to the mayor, the population should be encouraged to get vaccinated by providing them with reliable information and communicating appropriately. For those who need social support, the mayor encourages them to help themselves in a way other than the granting of vaccination benefits.
“From the beginning, when we receive vaccines and we had the right to organize the vaccination process, we always try to make vaccination as easy as possible and that the person does not have to spend money on trips or long waits for vaccination. . Therefore, if the vaccination is given closer to the place of residence, those who cannot enter (need – aut. last.) come to home. If we take care of transport, we will be where there are more people.
For example, in the Lazdijai district, vaccination was very successful during the summer during holidays and indulgences. If the vaccination centers will be not only in the district centers, but in separate elderly people. If you talk to people, they will not wait until they come and register, and they will be actively sought out, “people will get vaccinated,” says A. Miškinienė.
The mayor emphasizes that residents of the Lazdijai district were not encouraged to get vaccinated with lotteries, prizes or the like.
Visock: there can be no jealousy
Šiauliai City Mayor Artūras Visockas positively evaluates the idea of encouraging older people to get vaccinated with cash benefits. According to the mayor, the elderly are a vulnerable group in society and the benefit of 100 euros is a kind of pension increase.
“I agree that a senior can get money just because they have that money in their jacket. If this attracts the attention of the elderly, they will come to be vaccinated, it is not a bad thing ”, comments A. Visockas on tv3.lt.
The politician says there should be no survival due to lower vaccination rates for older people. In his view, Lithuania lags behind other countries because it received the COVID-19 vaccines later. However, encouraging the older adult population to get vaccinated, he said, would be beneficial.
“I respect the Government, which is strong enough in this matter: please, we pay for your initiative, you can go to the theater, use the money elsewhere, just come and get vaccinated. When we vaccinate risk groups, it will no longer be important, because the rest of society is resilient and no one will obstruct the hospital ”, considers A. Visockas.
The question is whether those who voluntarily vaccinated and received no benefit from it will not feel at a disadvantage. A. Visockas does not think so.
“Those who have been vaccinated will be happy that the rest have been vaccinated. I don’t think you can create scenes of jealousy here because that is not the place or the purpose. The goal is the state and you can use a variety of tools to make education and other systems work.
The problem with the system is that older people are not vaccinated to the level that they should. Here there is no place to talk about jealousy, because the elderly person who was vaccinated can also get sick ”, says A. Visockas.
The mayor believes that there should be no government condemnation for considering this issue.
“When you work and do something, you are always guilty. The government may not be at fault here, but in principle it is a really commendable step in the search, ”says A. Visockas.
The money would encourage vaccination
The portal tv3.lt recalls that the Ministry of Social Affairs has registered a bill that offers people over 75 years of age. a lump sum of 100 EUR for the COVID-19 vaccination for the elderly would receive almost 300 thousand. population.
The benefit would be available to people who have not been vaccinated before September 1 of this year. and it will do so before December 1 of this year. There would be only one lump sum per person, it would be paid in December of this year and in April of next year. The profits would be paid to Sodra.
The ministry estimates that 27.19 million euros should be earmarked for payments from the state budget. euros.
The grant of benefits will still have to be approved by the Seimas and the president.
The idea of encouraging the vaccination of the population with cash benefits has been raised by the peasants even earlier.
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