One million people vaccinated in Romania
Romania reaches the threshold of one million people vaccinated against Covid-19
Leyla Cheamil, 04.03.2021, 14:00
The Covid-19 vaccination campaign started in Romania two months ago, and that has brought hope in the fight with the dreaded virus. In the first stage, the medical staff was covered, and in the second, currently unfolding, there are several categories of the population that are getting the jab: people over 65, people suffering from chronic diseases, irrespective of age, and employees in essential sectors. The company includes a third stage, for the rest of the population.
According to the National Committee for the Coordination of Vaccination Activities against Covid-19, our country ranks among the first in the world with regard to the number of people vaccinated. On Wednesday, an 86-year-old woman was the person number one million to get the vaccine. You will see that things will go faster from now on, Prime Minister Florin Cîţu has stated, also adding that the initial target was one million by the end of March, and the next one is 10.4 million people to get the vaccine by the end of September.
The vaccination campaign goes well, we are always among the top three in Europe and we will make sure we stay there, Florin Cîţu said. Also, in order to be able to speak of a successful immunisation campaign, we must keep observing the protective measures. I see everywhere – I’ve seen it on the street, and on the subway – people who do not wear a mask. We cannot allow that right now, we cannot relax, the prime minister also stressed.
Doctors, too, say that the population must observe the anti-Covid-19 rules and not let their guard down. Recently, the coordinator of the national vaccination campaign, Valeriu Gheorghiţă, has stated that the new strains of the virus are more contagious, a fact confirmed by public health experts. In fact, currently, Romania is on a slightly upward trend with regard to the number of infections, and the number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 who need hospital care is also growing. Specialists say that many cases are severe and most of the patients are young people.
The World Health Organisation believes that the pandemic is unlikely to end this year. Currently, the organisation is focusing on keeping transmission down and having as many people vaccinated as possible. The situation with regard to vaccine supplies has improved as compared to 10 weeks ago, WHO officials say, although there have been big problems with the distribution and the number of cases is still on the rise. (M.I.)