The COVID-19 vaccine rollout today continued with the administering of the first doses to the residents of the Care Home for older people and the nursing staff in Tirana. Prime Minister Edi Rama attended the start of the inoculations at the institution, where the sacrifice and care of the nursing staff during this tough period has paid off with the goo health the elderly enjoy, while no deaths of COVID-19 have been recorded here.

“We started the process in Shkoder a day ago and the vaccine rollout is already underway for the older adults at the private and public nursing homes all over Albania. We started the vaccination of the elderly in Tirana today,” the Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said.

“The vaccine doses will be administered not only to the old people, but also to the nursing staff,” she added.

Health Minister noted that the vaccination process is being conducted in accordance to all procedures, starting with the anamnesis for all the elderly.

“A total of 700 old people are residents of the care homes, while the rest are members of the nursing staff. Around 1.000 people will benefit under this initial phase and with the arrival of more vaccine shipments next week, the process will include people over age 80,” Manastirliu said.

The vaccine rollout was welcomed by the elderly, who expressed gratitude for the care for people in their third age. On his part, Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed special gratitude to the nursing staff members, who have made sacrifices to ensure total isolation of the elderly and preventing COVID-related deaths. “I would like to extend wholeheartedly thanks to the nursing staff at the care homes for the elderly, as they have been living here with you all the time. By doing so, they have protected each and every one of you and fortunately no fatalities have been recorded in the residential care homes, as it has been the case in Europe, and this was because the nursing staff members have made incredible sacrifice by observing a stay at home rule together with you. The nursing home was a total quarantine and the door was closed to the virus,” the Premier said, adding that with the COVID-19 vaccine received, the staff members will now be able to return to their homes, while the older adults are now more protected.