The list of priority groups has been updated: in the first quarter, not only all employees of medical institutions will have the opportunity to be vaccinated

According to her, in the first quarter of this year, COVID-19 will be available not only to all employees of medical institutions, but also to employees of other legal entities that provide cleaning, food and other services in contact with patients or remain in the premises where patients visit.

Together with the staff of the mobile points and fever clinics, drivers from municipalities and medical institutions who come into contact with people with possible COVID-19 may also be vaccinated.

According to the Ministry, the priority group of people who receive and provide social services includes employees and volunteers from all social service institutions, social workers for the elderly, guardians on duty, assistants for the disabled, sign language interpreters, specialists who supervise social care activities. institutions and state specialists in Children’s Rights from the security and adoption service.

In the case of vaccination of medical personnel who do not come into contact with COVID-19 patients, students who practice in medical facilities, members of mobile teams and staff of the State Service of Legal Medicine will have the opportunity to be vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health notes that priority groups do not include licensed health care institutions, whose main activity is not the provision of personal health care services.

Taking into account the health risks, priority groups include soldiers and intelligence officers who will participate in military or international operations, athletes – candidates for Lithuanian national teams representing Lithuania at this year’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, their coaches and other mandatory Olympic and Paralympic games. Paralympic Games staff.

As Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys said at a press conference after the meeting of the State Emergency Commission on Monday, the list is planned to be updated next week.

“There are more suggestions and observations. We are working this week, more changes are probably expected next week. We want to discuss these changes, although they have been discussed with experts, with coordinators, with directors of municipal administrations, to better understand the essence of those changes ”, said the Minister.

Organizations that unite patients with oncological diseases note that only patients with oncohematological diseases are included in the list of priority groups above; the rest of people with cancer are on this list, so the Ministry urges to review and adjust this procedure.

“Experience in many countries shows that cancer patients are not more susceptible to the virus, but this group of immunosuppressed patients has a higher incidence of complications and deaths from COVID-19,” the Cancer Society said in a statement.

According to the minister, changes related to patients with cancer diseases should appear on the priority list next week.

“The change you mentioned is planned for next week,” said A. Dulkys.

For their part, health experts summoned by the government announced in mid-January that they proposed to vaccinate people aged 70 and over against COVID-19, as well as those suffering from cancer and autoimmune diseases who receive chemotherapy, immunosuppression, immunomodulatory therapy , radiation therapy. and individuals with immunodeficiency.

According to data from the Department of Statistics on Monday, the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Lithuania was vaccinated by 58 thousand people. 471 people, 8997 people in both doses.