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In the first days of March, President Gitanas Nausėda criticized the vaccination process and stated that, to his understanding, 75,000 were unused in the country at that time. vaccine dose.
“I want to say that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, 75,000 have not been used today. Vaccines. That is, in the coming days, even if we work very hard, we have to work to absorb this vaccine,” said the president at a press conference March 3.
Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Gitanas Nausėda visited the vaccination center
Both Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė were quick to interrupt him, stating that the vaccines just arrived so there was no time to distribute them.
“Of those 75 thousand, 50 thousand vaccines. They arrived in Lithuania just yesterday and the day before yesterday, which means that yesterday and today they were distributed to the municipalities and will be vaccinated, but it is an insurmountable task to vaccinate them when the plane reaches Lithuanian land.
We greatly appreciate the President’s concern, but I think the process is going as it should, ”the Prime Minister responded on March 3.
We very much appreciate the President’s concern, but I think the process is going as it should.
However, it turns out that a couple thousand AstraZeneca vaccines from mid-February to the present, have not actually been vaccinated, only the vaccines were left in the respective municipalities, not in the country’s general stores.
There are almost 2 thousand left. vaccines
On Tuesday March 9, Gytis Andrulionis, head of the State Medicines Control Agency (VVKT), told a press conference that the shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines (currently suspended) was distributed to medical institutions on February 15.
According to him, a total of 9,600 doses of the vaccine were received, but by March 9 about 2,000. remained unused.
Currently, following the receipt of information on two suspected adverse reactions to AstraZeneca in Austria, the use of this unique series in SAM discontinued.
However, this does not change the fact that from February 15 to March 9, almost a month, it was not possible to vaccinate all the vaccines received, although it is said that there is still a shortage of them.
SAM: The municipalities have not kept up to date
SAM 15 minutes confirmed that 9,600 doses of ABV5300 vaccine were delivered to Lithuania on February 11, of which 1,932 were left unused.
And he reported that they were delayed because vaccination is simply slower in some municipalities.
“Each shipment is distributed proportionally to all municipalities, taking into account the number of residents belonging to priority groups but not vaccinated.
Some municipalities use vaccines faster, others slower. Vaccination rates can be influenced by the efficiency of vaccination institutions, the population’s willingness to vaccinate, and other factors, ”says SAM’s response.
“No municipality uses all the doses of the vaccine it receives, certain amounts are reserved for the second dose of the vaccine. The amount of vaccine residues changes daily as the population is vaccinated and new shipments of vaccines arrive, ”the ministry added.
Suspend, but people refuse vaccines
President of the Association of Lithuanian Municipalities Mindaugas Sinkevičius 15 minutes He said he did not know how many and which vaccines he had left, but acknowledged that there were difficulties with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“It just came to our attention then. AstraZeneca is not the vaccine of choice for those vaccinated.
When asked about its popularity, it is not popular and many times when people hear or are offered the AstraZeneca vaccine, they refuse and apparently the reason for the rejection is precisely the flow of negative information, “he said.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Mindaugas Sinkevičius
Rokiškis District Mayor Ramūnas Godeliauskas spoke similarly on BNS.
“When we invite you to come in for a vaccination at a specific time, the question is: what vaccine is available and not AstraZeneca, and some agree if there is no other option and there are people who refuse and wait for the vaccine.” Pfizer-BioNTech is a “vaccine,” he said.
It seems that is why almost 2 thousand. unused AstraZeneca vaccines.
Visaginas Mayor Erland Galaguz told BNS that there were at least 400 doses of the vaccine left in his area alone, 270 in Lazdijai.
You have to say what it is and of course. AstraZeneca is not the vaccine of choice for those vaccinated.
Communication is vague
Aurelija Žvirblienė, a professor and immunologist at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center (VU GMC), spoke first about the fear of being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“There was a very vague and vague communication, starting at the highest level,” 15 minutes she said.
Photo by Lukas Balandis / 15min / Aurelija Žvirblienė
When the vaccine was registered in the European Union, the company that developed it did not specify any age limits, only that the vaccine was suitable for people over the age of 18, the professor noted.
However, only a small proportion of the population aged 55 to 65 years were included in clinical trials and data on the efficacy of this vaccine in the elderly were considered insufficient.
Countries like Germany, Italy and other authorized countries in Europe have decided not to vaccinate the elderly.
There was a very vague and vague communication, starting at the highest level.
“It just came to our knowledge then. <...> And then when more data came in from other countries that might have taken risks, like the UK, <...> then other countries began to vaccinate, but the image of the vaccine really suffered. That contradictory communication “, 15 minutes pointed out A.Žvirblienė.
According to her, such things make people distrustful and the initial inaccurate message hurts the face of the vaccine.
Photo by Alius Koroliov / 15min / Vaccination of people over 80 years old began in Kaunas
“It seems to me that other manufacturers have communicated more clearly and there has been more reassurance that everything is working well and that is why people have more confidence,” he said.
It was also supported by Agata Mankeliūnienė, Deputy Director of the Trakai District Municipality Administration.
Although the municipality tries to provide new information and explain to the population that the AstraZeneca vaccine is no worse, it is not easy to do so.
AstraZeneca has a negative connotation in society, especially for the elderly. <...> The initial message did its job, ”commented the specialist about the situation in the Trakai district.
The vaccine is safe
Denmark, Norway and Iceland temporarily stopped receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine this week after noticing blood clots in some people after the vaccine.
However, experts emphasize that the solution is only preventive, as a causal link between the vaccine and these health disorders has yet to be established.
Lithuania does not intend to temporarily suspend vaccination with AstraZeneca, A representative of the Ministry of Health informed BNS.
Currently, three COVID-19 vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency are used in Lithuania: Pfizer and BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being prepared for use by EVA on Thursday.
G. Idrdrionis, director of IWT, stated that the first doses of this vaccine April expected in Lithuania.
In total, Lithuania has already received just over 393 thousand. COVID-19 vaccine dose.
According to data from the Department of Statistics on March 12, 333 Cerdocyon. dose.
241 thousand have already been vaccinated once or twice. people, or 8.65 percent. of the entire population of the country.
You can read more about the effectiveness of vaccines and the difference: here. About myths and how scientists deconstruct them. here.
If you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, please send them to our editorial staff by email. email address [email protected]
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