SAM: All doses received will be used for the first medical vaccination.

The Minister of Health, the Head of State Emergency Operations Arūnas Dulkys and the Chancellor of the Ministry of Health (SAM) Jurgita Grebenkovienė spoke at a press conference on Saturday about how many vaccines have been received, how they will be stored and how they will be vaccinated. the Lithuanian population.

The vaccine has already arrived

A. Dulkys was pleased that the first coronavirus vaccines had already arrived in Lithuania.

“Tonight, 3 hours and 15 minutes, he crossed the border with Lithuania. A new hopeful phase begins when we react not by running after the virus, but by fighting it. I believe that we can all return to a normal life with peace of mind,” the minister wished.

On Saturday morning, according to A. Dulkis, the situation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination as of Sunday was discussed once again with the managers of the main Lithuanian hospitals.

“I can confirm that, as planned, the vaccination will start at the same time in Lithuania at 8 in the morning,” the minister said.

COVID-19 staff will get vaccinated first

According to J. Grebenkovienė, the vaccines arrived with transport from the manufacturer of Pfizer.

“Our forces, two policemen and an Aro car, have joined the border post, joined the escort and escorted us to the emergency warehouse,” said J. Grebenkovienė.

The BioNTech and Pfizer vaccines have been taken to ESSC warehouses; their location, delivery time and exact number of vaccines have not been published for safety reasons.

The vaccines were transferred to a freezer warehouse where they were stored for 2 hours and then transferred to special trucks. Once thawed, the vaccine must be used within 5 days.

According to the latest information, these vehicles have already moved in the direction of Kaunas-Klaipėda and Vilnius-Panevėžys-Šiauliai. The first vaccines were already going to reach the Santara clinics.

“Employees of COVID-19 units, ambulances and intensive care resuscitation units should be vaccinated first,” said J. Grebenkovienė.

The Chancellor also added: “It is planned that all doses will be used by doctors without leaving [rezerve] second dose ”.

In the first stage, it is planned to vaccinate the medical personnel of 28 Lithuanian hospitals.

“We are scheduled to have a second shipment of vaccines on the 29th,” announced J. Grebenkovienė.

According to J. Grebenkovienė, the third shipment of vaccines could arrive in early January, but this is only a preliminary time.

So far, the Ministry of Private Enterprise does not plan to ask for help.

Who will receive the vaccines and in what quantity?

From the first shipment, 3 hospitals in the Vilnius region, 11 in the Kaunas region, 4 in Šiauliai, 1 in Panevėžys and 9 in the Klaipėda region will be vaccinated.

3 thousand vaccines will reach Vilnius, Kaunas also 3 thousand, Klaipėda about 2 thousand and Šiauliai and Panevėžys – 1 thousand vaccines each.

They were carried out according to the number of inhabitants, doctors and patients in the region.

The BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine is the first and so far the only one authorized in the European Union (EU), and the European Commission authorized its distribution on Monday, when it was recommended by the European Medicines Agency.

After the vaccination of doctors working in healthcare institutions in Lithuania, in the second stage, vaccines will be administered to employees and patients of medical institutions providing supportive care and nursing services.

According to the Chancellor of the Ministry of Health, doctors are expected to be vaccinated in the first quarter of the year. This will be followed by vaccination of nursing and care staff and residents, followed by chronically ill people over 64 years of age. This would be followed by a mass vaccination.

“With regard to neighboring countries, the number of vaccines is very similar. On the 29th, we are awaiting further clarification on the quantity of vaccines, but the quantity is expected to be slightly higher than what we receive today, ”said J. Grebenkovienė.

Patients will be treated by a wider circle of doctors.

Furthermore, as the Minister of Health said, additional decisions were made due to the deterioration of the situation. First, due to the lack of medical personnel, the possibility of a wider circle of doctors treating COVID-19 patients has been legitimized. In addition, more professionals will be able to be nursing assistants. For example, dietitians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, paramedics.

The second solution: from now on, it will be possible to shorten the isolation period for medical personnel by providing additional tests. The thresholds are expanded to evaluate each case individually.

Third, it was decided to install extra beds in rehabilitation hospitals.

“We have several cases where people no longer need oxygen therapy, but care for human safety has not yet been guaranteed. This solution will allow people in stable condition to complete COVID-19 treatment in rehabilitation hospitals. They will be provided up to 900 additional beds in these hospitals, ”said A. Dulkys.