On Saturday evening, the first shipment of vaccines from the pharmaceutical company "AstraZeneca" - 12 thousand was delivered to the warehouse of the Center for Extreme Health Situations. vaccine doses. They will be distributed to all municipal treatment facilities in Lithuania and used for vaccination of employees of educational institutions.
The vaccines were brought to Lithuania in a van from Belgium, accompanied by a police crew. On Monday and Tuesday, they are planned to be delivered to sixty municipalities.
Although the European Medicines Agency allowed the use of AstraZeneca vaccines for persons from 18 years of age and did not set an upper age limit, the Ministry of Health (SAM) used the State Medicines Control Service (VVKT) to evaluate the data of clinical trials and additionally evaluate the safety of this vaccine for older people.
VVKT, as a competent authority, did not give an opinion or proposal to the SAM on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, so the Minister of Health signed an order on Friday evening, obliging the VVKT to give an opinion on what age the population should be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, and when the vaccination should be done second dose.
Pending an opinion from VVKT, the SAM has decided to follow the safest vaccination schedule of the AstraZeneca vaccine. AstraZeneca's first shipment of the vaccine will be used to vaccinate educators up to the age of 55.
AstraZeneca is the third manufacturer whose vaccine against the coronavirus is registered and used in the European Union. According to the preliminary purchase agreement, Lithuania should receive a total of 1,86 million doses of this vaccine.
You will find information about the manufacturers and quantities of vaccines delivered to Lithuania HERE.
