Veryga: The vaccine will not cause immunity in anyone.

More questions than answers, that’s what the Health Committee said after the meeting. Delfi.lt the parliamentarians spoke. The former Minister of Health, Aurelijus Veryga, assured that now more flexible solutions are needed, because “the vaccine will not create immunity for anyone in the refrigerator.”

Green passport decisions – late

According to the Chancellor of the Ministry, J. Grebenkovienė, SAM is developing a so-called green certificate, which would cover three aspects: vaccination, disease and research results. As he explained, the certificate will be based on a minimum set of data that will be the same in all European Union (EU) countries: a unique document number and a trusted network to guarantee the authenticity of the certificate.

“By the end of April, we intend to implement a national vaccination certificate, a vaccination certificate without validation,” he explained at the meeting.

Morgana Danielė, a member of the Freedom Group, emphasized that this certificate should not be discussed at this time, but should already be implemented.

“The digital green certificate was discussed. In my head, it is only being debated because it is an EU decision. However, there is no national decision on the equivalence of the digital certificate. It is worrying that we are talking about a future in which it seems that we must act now ”. Delfi.lt she said.

It was supported by the former Minister of Health A. Veryga.

The ministry representatives explain that they are awaiting the agreement at the EU level. To my understanding, this is a desperate wait. But I also mentioned an example: Germany is a federal state, each country has its own electronic health systems and it was difficult for them to reconcile before the coronavirus. That is why we have to wait if we have our own system that is working. It demotivates people. People ask if they can do anything else after getting vaccinated, or not, they can’t, ”he said after the meeting.

According to Remigijus Žemaitaitis, representative of the group of members of the Seimas Mixto, the absence of a green passport has a very adverse effect on Lithuanian companies.

“The shocking thing has to do with the green passport. It seems that Lithuania is somewhere in some North African country, that the government cannot even create a health passport so that people can move somewhere. Even more so because we have health, where all the information about vaccines or tests is. Most Lithuanians use smartphones, everyone has QR codes, especially young people who can travel. It turns out that the ministry is not even considering it and has not even begun to do anything to create a health passport, it is expected what the European Commission decides.

Today we have a problem with the movement within the country. With a health passport, people could successfully travel and rehabilitate in tourist towns, which today are suffering huge losses. Things incomprehensible to the mind. Family doctors could also send businesses to tourist regions and municipalities, ”explained R. Žemaitaitis.

The politician also gave the example of his family. R. Žemaitaitis said that his parents who had contracted the coronavirus and had already received the vaccine because they belonged to a priority group could not go to rest in Lithuanian sanatoriums, so they were forced to spend their money abroad. According to him, there are about 80 thousand such people in Lithuania.

More questions than answers

As the head of SAM A. Dulkys explained during the meeting of the Health Affairs Committee, the management of the pandemic is currently facing the problem of human resources.

“The challenge is that both testing and vaccination involve the same community, they have the same human resources,” he said.

Farmer A. Veryga admitted that he had not received answers to some important questions related to the vaccination process and the organization of human resources during the meeting.

“One is about the development of vaccination sites. I asked a question about vaccines in pharmacies, the Chancellor’s answer was not clear to me: something, somewhere, how much the vaccine cannot say and it is not clear when it will be able to. The Seimas crossed his mind, even advancing the deadlines for the entry into force of the law (for vaccination in pharmacies – aut.past.).

Today we hear allegations both about vaccination rates and that doctors are overwhelmed because they need both testing and vaccination. As a result, pharmacies have been given such an opportunity, it is strange that it is taken lightly.

Another thing that not only worries me is next April, when many vaccines will arrive. This means that we are approaching the time when supply will exceed demand. Now we have the reverse option: there are more people who want to be vaccinated than vaccines, even if it is not well administered. I have not received a response on whether Lithuania is preparing to offer something else to the population that is vaccinated, sick or has a valid test response for a few days or days ”, he explained.

Mr. Veryga noted that perhaps good news had been heard from the ministry during the meeting. It is true that, according to the parliamentarian, it is not clear how it will be overcome.

“It was about the students, the possibility of vaccinating them. Of course, before they have to vaccinate themselves, the question is whether this has already been done. But again, let’s understand where those students may be: they can probably only be where they will be supervised by a nurse or other doctor. The decision of the same pharmacies is not available again. The pharmacy network is extensive.

Israel has also used the military to organize vaccinations. Not to keep order or chase something, but to help organize the process itself, manage flows, because doctors are burdened with other tasks. We don’t hear this. It is left to the municipalities and the capacities of the municipalities vary greatly. Why not use the army, I do not understand.

The Ministry must allow flexibility to respond to situations. And that flexibility is feared. The vaccine will not create immunity in anyone in the refrigerator, “he said.

Ms. Danielle, a member of the Freedom Party, also confirmed that many of the questions raised in today’s session have not been answered. The Seimas member hoped that he would be able to have a session again in the near future and that the answers would be clarified.

“The situation is worrying because there are more questions than answers and even more questions and even fewer answers after the meeting. It is very important, when monitoring the situation and the reactions of the public, to talk about an immunity passport. The Minister’s statement that this is a matter for the future is worrying.

In my head, we are already a couple of months late and it was necessary to discuss this in February, now it is necessary to act. We have seen that the event has already been held, where people have come up with the idea that the problem can be solved on a trial basis and thus open the event sector, bar sector and other sectors that are on the edge of bankruptcy ”. said M. Danielė.

Fees and human resources

According to R. Žemaitaitis, the position expressed by the Minister on the lack of human resources is obviously already visible. It is evidenced by vaccine residues.

“The cumulative quantities of the vaccine show that there is already a lack of human resources and a lack of capacity. The bottom line is that most treatment centers send SMS messages inviting you to get vaccinated. When a 75- to 80-year-old grandmother sends an SMS, she doesn’t even read it. In my district, Šilalė, we have agreed that family doctors are involved in this process, they call their patients and invite them to come and get vaccinated, ”he said.

According to R. Žemaitaitis, there are currently no questions related to vaccination fees and funding for medical institutions.

During the meeting, the SAM Chancellor commented on this issue. “There is a fee for vaccination, which is around 3 euros. Consequently, a process has now been calculated and is already underway, which will soon transfer funds to vaccination institutions for the volume of three-month vaccinations carried out so far, in December, January and February. The next funding will be in the next three months, “said J. Grebenkovienė.

According to R. Žemaitaitis, such an order and those prices will soon cease to provide other necessary health care services.

“With the start of mass vaccination, more and more people will be able to get vaccinated, new employees will not be admitted to medical institutions and will not be able to provide other services.” When mass vaccination begins, most nurses and other medical personnel will be directed to vaccination. This means that other people will not receive some of the required services, ”said a representative of a mixed group of Seimas members.

A. Matulas: 80-85 percent. collect

“A detailed report from SAM was made on the course of vaccination, problems and prospects. I have the impression that a lot of work is being done, it is working, there is no experience, but I would say 80-85 percent. collect. Of course, many observations have been made that a more rapid response may be necessary, that vaccine residues must be distributed more quickly. The ministry is committed to taking the proposals into account.

There was talk of the need to go to mass vaccination as soon as possible, because it is very difficult to identify other priority groups without angering other people, “said the chairman of the committee, the conservative Antanas Matulas, after the meeting.

The politician acknowledged that the issues of human resources and vaccination rates are in fact very important and significant.

“The same people are participating in the tests, the same people are participating in the vaccination. Fair remuneration for the work done is very important, especially on weekends. It is very important. The rate that is proposed now is 2, € 9 or is expected at € 3.2 per vaccine, compared to € 4.4 for the flu vaccine.

Obviously it doesn’t cover the cost. Motivating people is very important here. The problem is here, but the ministry counts, ”said A. Matulas, emphasizing that additional funds must be drawn from the money destined to control the coronavirus.