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Head of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) Valeriu Gheorghita declared on Tuesday that Romania is registering "a very good epidemiological evolution" and that this is also due to the fact that the immunization of persons from various age categories was allowed at a time of their own choice.
The clarifications were made during a meeting on the benefits of the vaccination of children, held at Victoria Palace of Government, attended by Prime Minister Florin Citu, Minister of Education Sorin Cimpeanu, representatives of UNICEF, representatives of the National Student Council and the National Federation of Parents' Associations.
"We believe that, in this way, with better and growing vaccine coverage among young people, we can greatly hinder the chain of transmission. And the fact that today Romania has a very good epidemiological evolution - perhaps among the best in Europe - is also due to the fact that we had a vaccination strategy that allowed all age groups to be vaccinated whenever they wanted, starting with March 15, which greatly reduced the transmission, because young people are active people, they interact a lot and spread the virus and bring the virus home to vulnerable people. It is important that we carry on the vaccination campaign. Even if at this time the number of those getting vaccinated with dose one is declining, I am convinced that in the next period, once the enthusiasm of holidays subsides, people will understand the importance, the benefits of vaccination," said Valeriu Gheorghita.
He mentioned that in the next period the campaign will focus on the rural environment and people's desire to be immunized will be met, so that vaccination be offered as close as possible to each household.
The president of CNCAV advocated for the immunization of children and young people aged between 12 and 19, adding that this saves lives.
"There are over 140,000 children, teenagers and young people between the ages of 12 and 19, included, who have been vaccinated with at least one dose so far. Basically, that is below 10% of what the target population means. There is a lot of talk about the appropriateness of vaccinating minors, the 12-15 age group, in the current vaccination campaign, not only in Romania, but globally. The first question is whether or not vaccinating minors saves lives and the answer is loud and clear: yes, it saves lives. Even though the risk of minors getting a serious form of the disease is significantly lower than in adults, we still have a global death rate of about two in one million children, which I do not know whether it means a lot or a little, but for that person that was a 100 percent mortality," he said.
The vaccination campaign coordinator said that immunization with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of getting the infection by at least 50 percent. Vaccination also reduces the viral load by at least 50 percent, which in turn reduces the risk of transmission.
"Each country has its own vaccination strategy. In Romania, at the moment, the vaccination coverage rate for the age groups over 50 years - 60 and 70 years - is on average 35 percent. We practically do not have a very high vaccination coverage in the vulnerable age groups. That is precisely why it is important to promote this concept of immunization at the level of every family, to create this immune cluster, this immune barrier, because it is important that in the next period our children can physically go to school, in conditions of maximum safety, both for them and for their families," said Valeriu Gheorghita, reports agerpres.
