In the fight against the coronavirus, 31,180 people were vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 in this country on Friday, more than on any other day so far. This is according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health. Of the newly vaccinated, 2,420 received the second dose needed for full immunization.
In this regard, 5.99 percent of the Austrian population was at least partially vaccinated on Saturday. If the non-vaccinated portion of the population – those under 16 – is excluded, this would be 6.88 percent. As of midnight on Saturday, a total of 533,617 people in Austria had received their first dose, well over half a million.
Vaccination rate to be accelerated
Health Minister Rudolf Anschober (Greens) wants to accelerate the pace of vaccination in the coming weeks with the availability of significantly more vaccine, he confirmed on Saturday. “In March, the delivery quantities will be tripled compared to January and February, and then doubled again from April,” he announced in a statement.
In addition, 150,000 to 200,000 people who belong to the risk group will receive a “motivation letter” for vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus on behalf of the federal government starting April 1. The recipients in each case will be people who do not yet have an entry in their E-vaccination passport. While the letter will not convey an appointment per se, it will serve as proof of risk group membership if one is made. This said Peter Lehner, chairman of the umbrella organization of social insurance, to the daily newspaper “Die Presse” (Saturday edition).
The vaccine shortage in the EU and thus also in Austria currently remains the problem in the fight against the Corona pandemic, but since yesterday’s decision of the National Vaccination Panel in the matter of AstraZeneca, all three vaccines approved in Austria can be used for people over 65 years and precisely for the risk groups.
In doctor’s offices only vaccination with AstraZeneca
According to “Die Presse,” the city of Vienna plans to have physicians in private practice take over appointments that are assigned centrally via the vaccination service and also assign appointments themselves. There are no plans, however, for physicians in private practice to be allowed to vaccinate with the Biontech vaccine. That would be too complicated, said a spokesman for the Vienna City Council of Health; only AstraZeneca is vaccinated in doctors’ offices.
— source: kurier.at/picture: pixabay.com
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