Andriukaitis – on coronavirus vaccines: there are 6 groups that should be in the spotlight right away

V. Andriukaitis on Friday on the radio news program “Question of the Day” listed 6 public groups that WHO recommends vaccinating first.

“There are 6 groups that should be in the spotlight immediately. The first group are medical and social workers. The second group is that of people older than 65 years of greatest risk. Next, a group of people who provide services to the public who have a lot of contact with people, from firefighters to policemen to miners who have a lot of contact with people.

Then people with very complex diseases are at great risk of contracting them. And there are also social groups at higher risk, which can also transmit the infection to other people ”, V. Andriukaitis told social groups.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has already publicly announced that she would like to be one of the first to get vaccinated to set a good example for the public.

V. Andriukaitis, the interlocutor of the program, said that good ambassadors are definitely needed for the vaccine.

“There is no group here, there is an effort by all countries to vaccinate those people who are influential, good ambassadors for the vaccine. Of course, it is not a group, it could be some people. “Good ambassadors, who jealously want to change the vaccination attitude of citizens, should definitely be used,” the expert explained.

He explained that communication about vaccines must be very positive and influential.

“I think all people with great authority should get vaccinated: the president, the cardinal, the academy of sciences, the singers, the athletes, there could be a really sincere and far-reaching campaign to help people overcome fear, uncertainty or even get rid of misinformation. ” – V. Andriukaitis discussed in the program.

How to persuade the skeptics?

With the arrival of the vaccine, every second of the Lithuanian population would be vaccinated against the coronavirus, and Lithuanians would reject the vaccine, according to a public opinion poll conducted by the Vilmorus news agency and published at the end of October.

During the study, 1,000 Lithuanians were asked how they would behave if a coronavirus vaccine were developed and made available.

42.9 percent. of those surveyed said they would get vaccinated, 42.5 percent. said they would not be vaccinated, and 14.7 percent. he had no opinion.

The government says it will seek to acquire 70 percent. Vaccination against the coronavirus will be voluntary.

V. Andriukaitis said in the program that it is very important to understand that it is also necessary to speak with those who deny vaccines. The expert said that it is necessary to provide clear and transparent information about vaccines, to answer the most frequently asked questions.

“It just came to our knowledge then. Therefore, very special attention must be paid to this, with the help of scientists, psychologists, specialists in particular, who can advise on how to influence this. And you must have very clear information, complete and transparent about vaccines. And the answers to people’s questions must be answered in such a way that even the most difficult questions are debated in public. There is no need to put those antivirals in front of you, you need to work with them consistently and for a long time ”, said the interlocutor of the program.

WHO Special Envoy V. Andriukaitis explained that there is simply no other way.

“Vaccination has been accompanied by great rumors, fears and resistance since its inception. (…) But there is no other way, only to persuade ”, said V. Andriukaitis.