Health sciences

A warning from AstraZeneca that initial supplies of its COVID vaccinations to Europe will be lower than expected has sparked fresh concern over the rollout of inoculations, forcing some countries to plan for a sharp drop in deliveries.

According to the website worldometers, so far 98,010,507 people have been infected with coronavirus in the world, 70,402,587 are considered cured, and 2,097,279 people have died as a result of this infection.
Currently, 25,510,641 cases are active, but only 111,745 of them, or 0.4 percent, are in a serious or critical condition.

Europe's Covid-19 vaccination drive was dealt another blow on Friday when AstraZeneca said initial deliveries to the region will fall short of the targeted volumes because of a production glitch.

Greek health authorities announced another 585 cases of coronavirus on Friday, raising the overall number of infections since the start of the pandemic to 151,041.

According to data from the National Organization for Public Health (EODY), 28 patients died from Covid-19, raising the total death toll to 5,598.

Greek health authorities announced another 585 cases of coronavirus on Friday, raising the overall number of infections since the start of the pandemic to 151,041.

According to data from the National Organization for Public Health (EODY), 28 patients died from Covid-19, raising the total death toll to 5,598.

A health worker prepares to vaccinate a colleague against COVID-19 with Sinovac's Coronavac vaccine at the Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, 14 January 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

Some health experts have warned that the effectiveness of these vaccines is still not fully researched, and note that their delivery dates are also still uncertain.

The European Commission will seek clarification from Pfizer over delays reported by EU countries for the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines next week, a spokesman for the EU executive said on Friday.

Pfizer and the Commission had earlier said that there would be no more slowdowns next week, after supplies were held up this week due to works at a Pfizer plant meant to ramp up production.

A total of 26 cases of the new Covid-19 variant have been registered in Greece so far, Panagiotis Arkoumaneas, president of the National Public Organization Health (EODY), said on Friday.

The figure was made public as Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias held an emergency meeting with epidemiology experts at the Health Ministry to discuss how the new strain can be contained.

Health and medical experts have hailed vaccines as being one of the major achievements in the fight against COVID-19, but the number of people refusing to get vaccinated has increased over the course of the pandemic despite the fact that they can prevent the spread of the highly infectious virus.

This fact contributed to a growing dissatisfaction within the European Union.
Romania will thus receive 50 percent of the planned quantities this week, and deliveries will increase gradually, so that Bucharest will receive the agreed quantities only at the end of March, Deputy Health Minister Andrej Baciu told Reuters.