Albania started today the vaccination process against COVID-19. The initial 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be injected to the medical staff of the hospitals’ Covid 1 and Covid 2 in Tirana, at a dedicated platform at “Air Albania” stadium. The first to get the vaccine shot was the Head of the Infectious Diseases Hospital Najada Çomo, followed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, who took the vaccine on live television to give the message that “the vaccine is not only safe but also the weapon that will destroy this invisible enemy.” Earlier in the day, during a press conference announcing the start of the vaccination, Rama did not specify the name of the country that donated the first doses of the vaccine, although he denied that they were coming from Greece. The same country will donate 2,000 more vaccines in the coming weeks.
Asked about the donation of the vaccines that Albania had promised to Kosovo, Rama told to the press that from next week Albania will give a number of symbolic doses to the medical staff of the Covid hospital in Prishtina: “It is important to not have the same mindset as the EU,” said Rama, recalling the fact that the EU did not help the Western Balkans countries to start the vaccination process on the same time with the EU Member States.
After the initial 975 doses, in the third week of January 10,750 more doses will arrive from Pfizer. Overall Albania has signed for a total of 500,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine. The first in line to get the vaccine will be the medical staff, the teachers, the police officers and the elders over 75 years old. As for the foreign residents in Albania, it is reported that the government is adopting a plan also on how to vaccinate foreign residents living in the country, although further information will be provided in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rama confirmed that Albania is continuing its negotiations with other companies and countries to secure more vaccines.
