Romania will likely recommend AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine to those aged between 18 and 55, doctor Valeriu Gheorghiţă, the coordinator of the national vaccination campaign against Covid-19, told television station B1 TV.

The specialty commissions of the Health Ministry and the National Drug Agency will decide this week on the age groups that will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“Very likely the AstraZeneca vaccine will have this indication for the group of people aged from 18 to 55. This week, as we have announced, this decision will be taken after consultations with the specialty commissions of the Health Ministry and the National Drug Agency,” Gheorghiţă explained.

The health authorities in France, Germany, and Austria have recommended the vaccine to those under 65 years old, while Belgium and Italy recommended it to people younger than 55. Poland set the threshold at 60. 

So far, Romania has been administering the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and will start using the Moderna one today, February 4. The country should receive 800,000 doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine this month, Gheorghiţă said.

Romania is currently rolling out the second phase of its vaccination campaign, targeting vulnerable groups and those working in essential areas. By February 3, 620,176 people received the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine: 468,150 the first dose and 152,026 also the second one.

Starting February 15, another 180 vaccination centers are set to open in the country, Gheorghiţă announced.

(Photo: Siam Pukkato/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com