Importance of COVID-19 vaccination in Belarus stressed
Lead Clinician for Infectious Diseases (non-staff) of the Belarusian Healthcare Ministry, Doctor of Medicine, Professor, Head of the Infectious Diseases Faculty of Belarusian State Medical University Igor Karpov spoke about the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and shared his own vaccination experience in an interview with the ONT TV channel, BelTA has learned.
Igor Karpov delved into characteristic features of the mass vaccination of the population in Belarus. First of all, Belarus was quick to join the COVID-19 vaccine trials and launch the production of vaccines in the country. Its intention to start mass vaccinations as soon as possible is also noteworthy. “Belarus aims to produce a large number of vaccines – around 500,000 doses monthly. This will enable us to carry out the vaccination campaign in a short time,” he added.
Apart from healthcare workers and teachers, it is important to administer vaccines to as many elderly people as possible at the start of the vaccination campaign, Igor Karpov believes. “This is a sensitive topic. The elderly need a special approach. They have many worries: what if they run a temperature afterwards, or something like this. On the one hand, there can be a certain reaction in some cases, but there are no severe consequences. On the other hand, catching the virus itself means two or three weeks of fever even in mild cases,” he pointed out.
Igor Karpov has already received a shot of the Sputnik V vaccine. According to him, the Chinese jab is also great and causes a hyperthermic reaction less often than Sputnik V. However, the Russian jab is a so-called vector vaccine with a high efficacy (91%).
Igor Karpov recalled the disruption in vaccinations in the Soviet Union in the late 1980s. It has become a textbook example of the risks of not getting a vaccine against diphtheria. Only vaccinations helped deal with the consequences. Igor Karpov expressed hope that joint efforts of the government, healthcare workers, and the entire population in the case of the coronavirus pandemic will become an example of successful vaccination.
