Everyone in Albania aged 18 and over will be able to get vaccinated against Covid-19 starting today. The vaccines rollout was launched today at every vaccination site and health care centre across the country for everyone aged 18 and over.
Prime Minister Edi Rama urged all unvaccinated citizens to receive the COVID-19 shots and increase chances for protection against the highly infectious Delta variant and other new strains, which have yet to be confirmed in the country. The government head renewed his appeal as he, accompanied by the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, toured the health care centre in Dimal, to see the vaccine rollout up close as an open week for vaccination of every resident over 18 was launched across the country today.
“What is worth highlighting as a message today is that despite the fact that Albania has progressed incredibly well and ranks among the countries with highest effectiveness in this process internationally, the new strain is aggressive, it is highly infectious and dangerous when infecting the unvaccinated people. The vaccines don’t offer 100% protection from Delta variant, yet vaccination prevents severe illness, hospitalization and death. The truth is that when a vaccinated individual tests positive for the virus, the chances for him or her to be hospitalized are zero and the symptoms of the disease can be handled and treated easily. Therefore, it is extremely important for everyone to be protected from the new variant by receiving the coronavirus vaccines and this message is being conveyed by someone who has been already vaccinated. And here I am and this is worth conveyed to all the vaccine sceptics, who keep falling prey to conspiracy theories. It is crucially important for us to keep doing whatever we can so they, too, cross this conspiracy ditch and defend themselves and others,” the Premier said.
Health Minister Manastirliu announced that vaccination sites against COVID-19 across the country will open booking to every resident over 18 for a week, underlining that number of fresh cases testing positive for the Delta variant has surged throughout Europe recently and that vaccination is the most powerful tool to stop spread of the virus.
“The open week for vaccination of citizens aged 18 and over was launched today. The vaccine rollout is already underway for this age group in all vaccination sites and health care centres throughout the country. This new health care centre, like it is the case in every other centre, has become a sort of a mass vaccination site. All the residents aged 18 and over are invited to receive the COVID-19 shot. It is worth noting that number of fresh infections across Europe has increased due to the novel Delta strain and vaccination is the most powerful weapon against it. The vaccination rate has increased most recently with employment of the mobile vaccination units, with the number of vaccinated people estimated at over 1.67 million and with over 470,000 of them having received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccines,” Health Minister Manastirliu said.
The new health care centre in Dimal has been rehabilitated under a project as part of the national program designed to upgrade infrastructure of the health care centres across the country to provide contemporary care services.
