Šimonytė: universal vaccination should start after “unlocking” all priority groups

During Government Hour in the Seimas, responding to MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis’ question about whether it is not worth allowing vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine, the Prime Minister noted that vaccination of all priority groups has not yet started.

So far we do not have enough vaccines to vaccinate everyone who wants to come to the Cathedral, V. Kudirka or the Independence Square, but in April, when supplies are accelerating, I do not rule out that a similar phenomenon can be seen in Lithuania . as in Israel, when at the end of the day the vaccine that was not used in the priority queue was vaccinated, ”said the prime minister.

“But now we still have a lot of people at risk who are ‘unlocked’, like people under 65 who have certain diseases, so it seems like we should first ‘unlock’ all risk groups before reaching the general public.” Said the Prime Minister.

He also said that decisions could be made to allow rapid vaccination municipalities to accelerate the implementation of the vaccination plan by moving to the priority groups below.

“We will definitely seek flexibility so that those municipalities that have so far been very successful in vaccinating all the vaccines they receive can move up the priority row,” said the prime minister.

Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys said Thursday that after the resumption of currently suspended vaccination, the AstraZeneca vaccine is being considered for those who wish to get vaccinated, without priority.

The minister told LRT Radio on Thursday that he expected favorable decisions from the European Medicines Agency regarding this vaccine, but acknowledged that European countries, including Lithuania, had been dealt a “strong reputational blow” by stopping vaccination. with this vaccine.

“For the time being, since our vaccination strategy and all logistics were based only on vaccinating priority groups, we will probably now reconsider this vaccine as well, maybe we will change those solutions and maybe allow vaccination only for those who want it. But the decisions Finals have not yet been taken here, “said A. Dulkys, when asked how he would try to restore the reputation of this vaccine.

Lithuania followed the lead of several other European Union countries by stopping the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccination on Tuesday night, although both A. Dulkys and Prime Minister I. Šimonytė previously stated that they were not preparing to do so.

Vaccination has been suspended until the European Medicines Agency issues final conclusions on the safety of the vaccine, the agency will address the issue on Thursday.

The decision was made on the recommendation of the State Drug Control Agency, which received three reports of blood clots that occurred after vaccination, but the agency says it has no evidence that the ailments were caused by the vaccine.