The coordinator of the national group on vaccination communication Ninel Revenco said all the vaccines that were prequalified by the WHO, the European Medicines Agency are safe and will be approved in Moldova too. The free vaccine coverage was extended from 30% to 50% of the population so as to stop the spread of the virus in communities.
In IPN’s public debate “COVID-19 pandemic at a crossroads: Lessons learned and lessons to be learned before the vaccination period”, Ninel Revenco, who heads the Pediatric Department of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemiţanu”, noted that 87 states submitted applications through the COVAX platform to be supplied with COVID-19 vaccines. Only 18 countries were chosen initially, including the Republic of Moldova, which met all the conditions and submitted all the documents on time. The morbidity rate among the population, the number of serious cases and deaths and of infected healthcare workers were also taken into account.
The university lecturer noted that Moldova will get two consignments of vaccines – Pfizer and Astra Zeneca. Information about the efficiency of the vaccines and the target groups have been discussed also at international conferences. The medical personnel and social assistants will be immunized at the first stage, while the persons older than 60 and those with comorbidies at the second stage.
Ninel Revenco said that besides punitive measures imposed for not obeying the protective measures, measures to support the population should also be taken. The local public authorities can look for solutions to provide the citizens with disinfectant and masks through mail, as they do in other states.
The president of the National Advisory Council on Immunization noted that online meetings centering on the protective measures have been staged since the start of the pandemic and updated information has been provided daily, but the people do not fully obey them, including in public transport.
The public debate “COVID-19 pandemic at a crossroads: Lessons learned and lessons to be learned before the vaccination period” is the 170th installment of the series of debates “Developing political culture through public debates” that is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
