[ad_1]
The Minister of Health, Marta Temido, admitted this Wednesday that the first vaccines should begin to be distributed from January. In statements to podcast of the PS, Politics with Word, the minister says that the Government is making efforts to make this happen and explains the initial vaccination strategy.
The Government is preparing everything to have the first distribution of the vaccine in January. (…) We follow what is the genuineness of thought and evidence and thought in other countries. the target population will be mainly people of a certain age, with comorbidities, health professionals and essential services and eventually social services professionals ”.
According to the minister, it is the responsibility of the General Directorate of Health (DGS) to define the target population and the priority groups to be vaccinated.
The “concrete definition within the categories needs to be better specified and that is what the technicians are working on,” said the minister. In the same podcastMarta Temido also said that, this Tuesday, she already appointed a group to monitor the essential aspects of the country’s vaccination strategy, which includes the DGS.
Only those with an indication should get a flu shot
The Minister of Health warned of the importance of only vaccinating those who have an indication for it and said that they chose not to be vaccinated, recalling that the availability of these vaccines in the market is limited.
It is important to say that only those who have criteria should be vaccinated … it is important to understand this, for all vaccines. (…) There are therapeutic indications that must be followed. I, for example, did not get vaccinated “Marta Temido said.
Asked about the influenza vaccines purchased for the National Health Service (SNS), the minister explained that each year they are manufactured “in limited quantity”, he stressed that this year more doses were purchased than last year and that the 2.5 million available (in the NHS and pharmacies) “would be enough for the vaccination that the country usually has.”
Noting that the Government bought for the NHS “all the quantity it could” of influenza vaccines -more than two million doses-, the minister recalled that the pharmacies managed to buy around 500 thousand and that, in total, this would be necessary for has the indication to make the vaccine to receive.
This year we had a demand from people who do not usually get vaccinated “said the minister, giving the example of many health professionals.
According to data provided by the government official, 1.4 million doses of the flu vaccine were administered and there are still 400,000 in ‘stock’ to be administered.
The last portion, 200 thousand doses, will arrive at the end of the month “said the minister, recalling that “there are no more vaccines available on the world market.”
On the way in which the General Health Directorate has dealt with the pandemic and on maintaining trust in the General Health Director, Graça Freitas, the minister replied: “Absolutely.”
As for the vaccine against covid-19, the minister said that the Government is “preparing everything to be able to have the vaccine distributed in January” and that experts are working on four issues: the target population to be vaccinated and priority groups. , logistics (transport and storage), computerized registry of vaccine administration and possible adverse reactions and communication.
A working group is monitoring the issue, with elements from the central services, the DGS and experts who must make this definition. [da estratégia de vacinação]”He stated, highlighting that target groups older than a certain age, people with comorbidities, health professionals and essential services (civil protection and security forces) and, eventually, those of social services will be under analysis.
“The concrete definition and priorities have not yet been specified further,” he added.
