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The coordinator of the National Vaccination Plan estimates that the covid-19 vaccines will begin to be administered in early January, one or two days after arriving in Portugal.
Speaking about RTP’s “Great Interview” program, Francisco Ramos was convinced that on December 29 the European Union will give a positive opinion for the distribution of vaccines to member countries, admitting that the “big question is the quantity” of vaccines that will reach Portugal, with national access to 1.5 million vaccines by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer in the first quarter of 2021.
As he explained, a batch is expected to arrive in January and another batch in February (all from Pzifer), and it is estimated that only in mid-January the health authorities should make a decision on the final evaluation and acceptance of Moderna’s vaccine. .
If all goes well, Francisco Ramos admitted that in January it will also be possible to have access to the vaccines from these pharmaceutical companies, however warning that there is some “uncertainty” citing that, for example, there is still no date for the evaluation of the AstraZeneca vaccine. , although there is still “I hope” that there is a decision in January or February.
“It is the best scenario, but there is still uncertainty, that is, regarding the amount” of vaccines available, “he said, reiterating his confidence that the Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine is expected in February.
Given the anxiety associated with the arrival of the vaccines, Francisco Ramos stressed that it is important to first obtain “safety guarantees” in all vaccines and reiterated that “it is not yet known what quantities (of vaccine) will arrive in the first batches,” noting as priorities to prevent mortality, specifically of the elderly in households, health professionals and risk and those who suffer from “serious diseases” associated with diseases such as chronic kidney disease.
The coordinator of the National Vaccination Plan against covid-19 mentioned that 50% of deaths affect people “over 50 years of age”, mainly those with associated pathologies.
According to Francisco Ramos, if everything goes according to plan, 950 thousand people will be vaccinated in this first priority until February and indicated that the elderly in homes “will not be vaccinated the same day”, that is, simultaneously, but how the vaccines are distributed homes and hospitals, where people at risk will be marked “with place, date and time.”
The Health Centers will also call for the vaccination of people with a medical statement that proves the clinical condition that allows vaccination in the first phase of the plan.
“What is the routine capacity is 50 thousand vaccines a day without compromising the rest of the normal activities of the Health Centers,” Francisco Ramos guaranteed, admitting that in the most populated cities other spaces could be defined to vaccinate people with the right to vaccination against coronavirus.
“In big cities, it will be possible to find other spaces where health center teams operate” vaccination, he said.
Regarding the Pfizer vaccine, he said that there will only be one delivery point on the continent, with distribution to the rest of the national territory, with the exception of Azores and Madeira where delivery logistics will be specific because they are islands.
Francisco Ramos was confident in the plan and pointed out that “in the best of scenarios” the experts admit that between 50 and 70% of the population can be vaccinated at the end of spring, however, he pointed out that vaccination is not obligatory.
However, he warned that “we have to wait a few more months to see if the vaccines deliver what they promise”, alluding to their effectiveness.
The former Secretary of State for Health thanked the support and coordination of the General Directorate of Health (DGS), Infarction, Shared Services of the Ministry of Health and Armed Forces (FA), saying that the support of the latter gives him “enormous peace of mind” taking into account the joint work he had in the past with AF when he was at the Portuguese Oncology Institute (IPO)
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