Albania covered over 10,000 beneficiaries aged over 70 years with COVID-19 vaccination in just few days since the launch of the mass immunisation campaign last weekend, while policemen and on-the-scene reporters are next on the line to receive the coronavirus vaccines as people at high risk from the virus. The decision was announced by the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastriliu during a visit to Berat as Prime Minister Edi Rama today toured a vaccination site to closely monitor the process in the south-western city. More than 3000 doses of vaccines have been administered to the elderly in Berat to date, while the vaccine rollout for the policemen and on-the-scene reporters is slated to kick off starting tomorrow.

“Tomorrow we will commence inoculation of the State Police force starting with Tirana and the process will further extend to include whole country. The process will also include vaccination of the field reporters. We are pursuing a combined vaccination plan, with groups at high risk from the COVID-19 including people working at critical services and which include also these two categories. The vaccine rollout for on-the-scene reporters and operators will begin today, whereas for the policemen is set to start tomorrow. The vaccination of older adults will also continue as planned,” Health Minister said.

The government head noted that the vaccine is the only weapon against COVID-19 and the pandemic.  “China’s Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19 delivered from Turkey is a super successful vaccine, which is actually taking Turkey faster from the tunnel of the pandemic. This is the vaccine preferred by the wealthy Middle East countries. All the kingdoms of that region have opted for this sort of vaccine that is actually being used in many countries. The fact that the vaccine has not entered the EU has nothing to do with its effectiveness, but it has to do with an issue of a completely different nature that doesn’t affect us, because taking Albanian people out of this tunnel as soon as possible, saving our grandfathers and grandmothers from this situation of anxiety and insecurity, saving people with chronic medical conditions and groups at high risk is actually what matters most and something we are most interested in. We will launch vaccination of the police officers tomorrow. The field reporters are also next on the line according to the combined vaccination plan. In the meantime, we are also compiling the lists of workers at the hospitality industry and workers at the garment and footwear industry,” PM Rama said.