As many as 334 side effects following the vaccination 15,270 persons have been recorded in Moldova since March 2, when the COVID-19 immunization campaign started. In 326 cases, the reactions were mild, with fever of 37-38 degrees Celsius, general weakness, headache or local pain and flushing, National Public Health Agency epidemiologist Laura Ţurcan stated in a news conference held at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection.

“Eight of these are moderate reactions that included pronounced weakness, fever of 39-40 degrees Celsius, more pronounced muscle and articulation pain, including sickness and vomiting in separate cases. The eight cases include an allergic reaction with thigh and abdomen eruptions. All these reactions are in line with the vaccine instruction and all of them appeared during 24 hours of the vaccination and disappeared in one-two days,” stated Laura Ţurcan.

Ninel Revenco, coordinator of the national vaccination communication group, spoke about the use in the EU of the AstraZeneca vaccine that Moldova received from Romania as a donation and later through the COVAX Facility. According to her, on March 11 the WHO informed the Ministry that no death was reported following the vaccination of 391 million persons.

Epidemiologist Alexei Ceban said that more lots of AstraZeneca vaccines are to be supplied to Moldova at the end of March or at the start of April. These batches will enable to vaccinate all the health workers with the first and second doses. Immunologists recommend administering the second dose in eight weeks, but the AstraZeneca vaccine can be administered in 4-12 weeks.