Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė were vaccinated against Covid-19 at a Vilnius policlinic on Monday to promote trust in the AstraZeneca jab.
“I have complete trust in science and authorised institutions that competently assess all vaccines. [...] I do believe that all four vaccines that have been approved [for use in the EU] so far are reliable and effective,” the president told journalists. “Therefore, I am really calling on people not to hesitate [...] but go and get the vaccine they want to.”
Lithuania temporarily halted the use of AstraZeneca vaccines last week, but resumed it once the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was safe and effective. In order to boost people's trust in the vaccine, Lithuania's top leaders said they would get the jab on Monday.
“I am really sorry that this vaccine is not trusted, we see that from the vaccination information,” Prime Minister Šimonytė told reporters after getting the shot.
She added that she had confidence in the EMA's decision to clear the AstraZeneca vaccine for use.
“I have always said that I trust it and I was ready to wait for my turn and I would have really waited for my turn, taking all precautions. But after last week's tensions, we made the decision that it would be good to dispel doubts that, perhaps, state leaders would get some ‘tastier’ vaccine and to get this vaccine, and that's why we are doing it today,” she said.
Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen and Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys also got vaccinated on Monday.
Parliament Čmilyte-Nielsen got the jab, despite having had Covid-19 last year.
“I feel great,” she told reporters after being vaccinated.
Čmilytė-Nielsen said she was advised by her doctors to get only one vaccine dose. “I had it [Covid-19] four months ago. I had a light form of the disease and my antibody count has gone down. Medics recommended that I should get vaccinated now,” she said.
“I feel perfect. It’s just a shot and that’s it,” said Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys after taking the jab.
“Two-thirds of the European Union’s countries are now seeing growth in [COVID-19] incidence rates and we see the numbers growing in two-thirds of Lithuanian municipalities, and hospitals in Vilnius Region are getting more crowded. Our tracking research shows the the British variant spreading in Vilnius Region, Marijampolė, and it is very dangerous,” he added.
Although state and government leaders were not initially included among priority groups for vaccination, the health minister decided last week that it would help boost confidence in the vaccination process. Members of parliament are also getting their shots ahead of everyone else.
AstraZeneca vaccinations were suspended in Lithuania and a number of other European countries for fears that it might cause blood clots. On Thursday, the European Medicines Agency concluded that the vaccine was safe and effective.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
