They saw closely the storage conditions of vaccines in the drug depot at the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Centre (QSUT) in order to ensure the continuity of supply with Pfizer vaccine, in compliance with the anti-Covid vaccination plan.

Manastirliu said that the storage capacities are higher and that they can store up to 4-5 million doses of vaccines, while she indicated that this month they expect 170 thousand doses of vaccines to come thanks to the agreement with the Pfizer Company.

“Currently, our capacities are higher. So, we can store over 4-5 million doses of vaccines. We are well- prepared. We are increasing our capacity because we all know that it is important not only to get vaccines but also to try to maintain their quality. In Albania, we currently have about 665 thousand Pfizer vaccines. We are actually waiting for the delivery of the first part of the shipment from the new contract, on October 17, 170 thousand doses of vaccine “, said Manastirliu.

Expressing thanks to the head of the Pfizer company for the support, PM Rama said that when many countries closed their doors, the Pfizer company was there to help Albania.

“Without you, this country would have suffered a lot psychologically from the impossibility to start vaccination and as I told you in the office the first time we met you opened the doors at the moments when New York was completely in lockdown and we in the heart of the EU”, said Rama.

On his part, Head of the Pfizer company Albert Bourla said that, “When I saw you coming and started finding an argument to take the first doses, it was very surprising. I was very happy to have the opportunity to help you and I am very happy that we became friends during this challenge and I want to thank you for your friendship”, said Bourla./k.s/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama gave the news emphasizing that this amount has brought to 1,611,550 the number of anti-Covid vaccines that our country has received.

“We continue every day without stop with the open vaccination of +18 years old, until Sunday, in every vaccination center in the country”, said Rama.

A total of 1,069,365 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered since the start of the vaccination process. Of these, 466,905 citizens have received both doses of the antiviral vaccine.

Today, Albania started the open week of vaccination for the age of +18 years old. All citizens can present their ID card at the health center or the nearest vaccination center, throughout the week, from morning until 8 pm, to get the anti-Covid vaccine without restriction./p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama appreciated this the biggest batch of vaccines brought so far in our country.

The prime minister said that the total number of vaccines brought to our country so far is 1 million and a half.

Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu said that there will be more open days of vaccination of people older than 18 years old and there will continue the vaccination program according to age groups.

The vaccination has focused on people older than 50 years of age and employees of the institutions that have a direct contact with the citizens.

Albania has vaccinated 1,035,667 citizens so far while 443,165 of them have got both doses./p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama gave the news today by noon.

The vaccination process continues at a high rate throughout the country. Another 50,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, donated by the Republic of India, were brought in the country last night, after 4800 doses that were delivered on Saturday through the “COVAX” mechanism.

Since the beginning of the “Albania smiles” campaign, a total of 332,905 people have been vaccinated. In the last 24 hours alone, 8065 citizens have been vaccinated./k.s/j.p/p.s./

Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, accompanied by Minister of Reconstruction Arben Ahmetaj, who were waiting for the vaccines at the airport, said that we expect more than 250,000 vaccines in the coming days.

According to Minister Manastirliu, by the end of April, 700 thousand doses of vaccines will have been brought in our country, and it will be possible to vaccinate 500 thousand citizens by the end of May.

“The Albanian government has prepaid 1 million 140 thousand doses of vaccines. Today’s doses will be distributed throughout Albania to continue vaccinating the population plus 60 years old and those at risk groups”, said Manastirliu.

According to her, we have provided up to over 400 thousand doses of vaccines and we have vaccinated over 300 thousand citizens.

“We will continue with this process until the last citizen is vaccinated, as the lives of citizens are first,” she said.

The minister said that starting tomorrow we expect more doses of vaccines. “Tomorrow, another 50 thousand doses of vaccines will be brought from AstraZeneca. On Monday, over 200 thousand more doses of vaccines will brought and 8120 Pfizer vaccines. By the end of April, we expect to have passed about 700 thousand vaccines and 500 thousand vaccinated citizens”, she declared.

On the other hand, Minister Ahmetaj said that in the coming days we will have even more inflows of vaccines and will continue with the vaccination of two categories, transport and façon employees.

“We are defeating the pandemic, but care must continue. Citizens have heard what is happening in the countries of the region, while in Albania mass vaccination is taking place”, he said./p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama gave the news through a post on Facebook, describing it good news.

“GOOD NEWS. We have just ensured to get another 50,000 Astrazeneca vaccines outside the current agreements,” said PM Rama.

Today, on the fourth day, the process of mass vaccination of the elderly +70 years old continued in “Skënderbej” square.

This is not the only venue, the only place where anti-covid vaccination is being carried out. There are other spots, such as the one at the stadium “Air Albania” in the polyclinics of the city of Tirana and the centers set up in regional hospitals.

The first dose of the Chinese vaccine “Sinovac” is currently being applied into citizens over 70 years of age.

Since the beginning of the vaccination process, there have been carried out 119,321 vaccinations./p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama told a news conference at Rinas airport that 7020 doses of vaccine have been procured under the agreement with the Pfizer company to continue in March with all those doses that we initially reported and other deliveries in April and May.

Rama said that for all citizens who are looking forward to the vaccine, we are close to an agreement on a significant number of Astrazeneca vaccine.

“We are intensively working to conclude an agreement with Astrazeneca and communications are ongoing at several levels, in addition to direct communication with companies, we are in communication with other countries,” said Rama.

“Today we have received a written confirmation from a friendly country for another 360 thousand doses of Astrazeneca vaccine, which will start to be delivered in April. I am sharing such information without disclosing anything else, as we have not signed the agreement given the evolving situation each passing day and every word said can be taken for propaganda,” – said Rama

He also said that under the contract, we expect that the company Pfizer will allow us to conclude the agreement with the country that sent the first batch that were only 1/3 of the promised doses, and they are ready, but we cannot negotiate this delivery without the consent of Pfizer.

“With the arrival of these doses today and with the clarity about those 40 thousand doses that are confirmed, we will move on to expand the vaccination this week to Vlora, Shkodra and step by step depending on the schedule of the Ministry of Health to other areas in Elbasan, in Fier, and in parallel with the vaccination of medical workers, doctors and nurses, we will start vaccination of the elderly,” said Rama.

Prime Minister stated that, “we have every reason to be convinced that we can attain the mass immunization in 14 months’ time.”

“It is only a matter of confirming the quantities and availability of quantities, but with the delivery of this first batch of ‘Pfizer’, we will massively inoculate the population in the hope that in the coming weeks we will receive other important confirmations from “AstraZeneca” , but also from friendly countries with which we have remained in close contacts,” he said.

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