HealthMin Mihaila: Fact that desire to vaccinate dropped in recent period, real reason for concern

The fact that the desire to vaccinate has dropped in the recent period represents a real reason for concern, said, on Tuesday evening, Health Minister Ioana Mihaila at private broadcaster B1TV, agerpres reports.

"The fact that the desire to get vaccinated has dropped in the recent period represents a real reason for concern. Somehow it was to be anticipated because there is a percentage, a part of the population that desired vaccines and ended up getting vaccinated, there is a part of the population that needs encouragement to reach vaccination and I believe we're in that moment, in that part of the population that needs some encouragement, or the vaccine be very very close and very easily available," said the Health Minister.

She emphasized that access to the vaccine doesn't represent a problem anymore and mentioned that she started talks with Valeriu Gheorghita, chairman of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV), "to see exactly how we can move from the human resources, especially from the urban to the rural so that we increase the vaccination rate there too."

"I believe that the millions (...) of people who were already vaccinated and who did not have significant adverse side effects, especially if we are speaking of these vaccines with messenger RNA, Pfizer and Moderna, I believe that data is sufficient. I don't think we have to wait for the results of studies before being convinced it's a good thing to get vaccinated," said the Health Minister.

Referring to the fact that some people could be afraid of long-term effects of vaccination, the minister said that "the potential negative long-term effects of the vaccine" need to be put in the balance.