A new batch of COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and BioNTech arrived in Romania on January 6, the Agerpres news agency reported on Monday. A total of 150,000 doses arrived in special refrigerators at airports in Bucharest, Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca) and Temesvár (Timişoara). The batch was then distributed to the Bucharest vaccination center and regional centers located in Kolozsvár (Cluj-Napoca), Brassó (Braşov), Constanţa, Craiova, Iaşi and Temesvár. The Temesvár regional center is responsible for vaccinations in the counties of Romania’s western region.
According to the NyugatiJelen.com news portal, a total of 9,750 doses arrived at the Traian Vuia International Airport of Temesvár last Wednesday, somewhat less than previously announced (11,700 doses were expected).
The precious cargo was then transported by a military vehicle to the Temesvár Military hospital, where the vaccine is being stored until utilization at a temperature of -80 degrees Celsius. The doses will be dispensed to hospitals in Temes (Timiş), Arad, Hunyad (Hunedoara) and Krassó-Szörény (Caraş-Severin) counties. The first, rather “symbolic” batch of the COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Temesvár on December 27 last year, while the second shipment consisting of 10,725 doses was received on December 30, NyugatiJelen.com wrote. More than two-thirds of this batch has already been used for healthcare workers.
With the previous shipments, a total of 300,300 doses of the vaccine has now arrived in Romania, as of January 6, the national committee coordinating vaccination activities announced in a statement. The vaccination campaign is planned to be carried out in three phases. Healthcare personnel and social workers are being vaccinated first, then the population at risk and people working in essential areas will follow. The general population can receive their dose in the third stage, which is likely to begin in April.
The vaccination campaign in Romania began on December 27 last year, with more than 100,000 people vaccinated in two weeks. The immunization of medical personnel and social workers continues, as about 300,000 people are set to be vaccinated during the first phase.
Authorities are now preparing for the second phase of the campaign, which should provide the vaccine to nearly 6 million people, with more than 5 million of them being patients with chronic illnesses.
Title image: About 300,000 people are expected to be vaccinated in the first phase of the campaign
Image source: europafm.ro
