A quarter of Romania’s population vaccinated
More than a quarter of Romanias population has received at least one dose of the anti-Covid vaccine
Eugen Coroianu, 21.05.2021, 13:50
Over 4 million
people in Romania have received at least one dose of the anti-Covid vaccine,
which accounts for more than a quarter of the country’s eligible population, of
16 years of age and above. Out of these over 19% have got the booster dose,
while 6% only the first jab, according to data the national vaccination
platform posted on its Facebook page on Thursday. 12 million people with ages between 40-49,
who are making the majority, and between 16 and 19 are still to be immunized.
Capital city
Bucharest with 36% and Cluj in north-western Romania, with 33% are topping the
table with the largest number of people vaccinated with at least one dose. Next
come the counties of Sibiu and Brasov, in central Romania, and also Timis in
the west.
The regions
at the bottom of the ranking are Giurgiu in the south, Botosani in the
north-east and Suceava in the north, the last with less than 12% people
vaccinated.
The vaccine
rollout continues at a pace of roughly 100 thousand people vaccinated a day,
being stepped up of late by novel vaccination methods. Authorities have
scrapped the planned lists on the national vaccination platform allowing the
Romanians to get the jab only by producing an ID. Drive throughs and the
so-called vaccination marathons have largely contributed to the successful
vaccine rollout. Mobile units have been dispatched to remote areas and
vaccination points have been opened on the premises of major enterprises around
the country.
Family
physicians have also joined the vaccination efforts making available the
vaccine to their patients. According to Romania’s Minister of Labour and Social
Protection, Raluca Turcan who has visited several rural regions, people in the
countryside, mainly those in the vulnerable categories, have not been
vaccinated yet although they want to.
According to the
minister, mobile units would be a solution to this issue particularly for those
who cannot afford the transport to a remote vaccination center.
‘At present
the best investment is vaccination and the state allots all the necessary
resources so that everybody may benefit this facility’, presidential adviser
Cosmin Marinescu said on Thursday.
According to
the Romanian official, it is important to understand that vaccination is the
key to the resumption of all activities so that the economy may recover and we
all return to normality. In another development, the government is to kick off
a new information campaign on vaccination, which comprises three videos and an
audio advertisement.
‘We are
targeting those who are still reluctant, those who are concerned about the idea
of vaccination, who need more arguments, besides those medical or scientific,’
says the president of the National Committee for the coordination of Romania’s
vaccine rollout, Valeriu Gheorghita.
(bill)