Romanians and not only were able to get vaccinated against Covid-19 without previous appointment, just based on their ID papers within a three-day vaccination marathon that started Friday afternoon. Initially 1,200 volunteers were supposed to be involved in the campaign, but more were eventually called due to the high flow of people – 1,349 volunteers: 500 students, 300 nurses and the rest were physicians, MDs and resident doctors.
The Vaccination Marathon – Bucharest Edition took place at the National Library and at the Palace Hall, until Monday, at 8.00. The serum used was Pfizer / BioNTech.
Over 20,000 were vaccinated by the end of the marathon, which is beyond the authorities’ expectations.
“It is beyond our expectations. We are glad that Bucharesters and those who live around Bucharest have trusted us“, the rector of Medicine University from Bucharest, Viorel Jinga told Digi24.
He said that many of those who came to the vaccination marathon had pre-existing conditions and a history of allergic reactions, but mentioned that no particular side effects have been reported during the weekend.
Over 18,000 have got vaccinated by Sunday evening within the marathon, and the event has thus reached and even overtaken the goal initially set: 10,000 administered doses.
Over 16,000 people had come to take the jab at the marathon in 48 hours.
Youngsters and elderly have equally come to get vaccinated, with the authorities yet saying that most of them were seniors who did not manage to get the appointments online on the vaccination platform. There were also foreigners residing in Romania who came for the anti-Covid jab at the marathon. Foreigners who have residence permit in Romania can enroll for vaccination by their own or they can be registered by their employers. However, not any foreign tourist can get vaccinated in Romania, for every country has its own strategy and the shots are yet limited,as secretary of state Andrei Baciu mentioned.
According to him, over 100,000 people overall have taken the jab per day during the past weekend: 110,663 on Saturday and 103,937 on Sunday.
PM Florin Citu said that a number of five persons per minute have been vaccinated over the past 24 hours. “You can also go to the drive-through centers. Save the photo on your phone, to have it at hand, pick a day and go get vaccinated. Even this weekend, after sitting on a terrace, chilling, relaxing, having coffee. Or after you go to the park. Only if we get vaccinated will we return to normal,” Citu posted on Facebook.
61, 567 people have chosen the drive-through centres countrywide to take the jab by Sunday at 13:00hrs. An vaccination centre has been set up even at Bran Castle, also known as Dracula Castle, with 252 vaccinated there by Sunday.
More than 3.5 million people have been vaccinated in Romania at least with one shot so far. 6 million doses of anti-Covid serum have been administered since the beginning of the vaccination campaign.
Authorities expect the target of 5 million vaccinated by the end of June will be easily reached. The goal is to vaccinate 10.4 people in Romania by autumn.