Ministry Mulls Distribution Of Astrazeneca Vaccine In Clinics

Director of Public Relations at the Ministry of Health, Dr Ghada Ibrahim, announced the Hall No. 6 at the Mishref Fairgrounds will be inaugurated next week for COVID-19 vaccination to raise the capacity for daily vaccination against ‘COVID-19’ gradually to reach 3,500 people per day, as the Ministry of Health continues its preparations to vaccinate a maximum of 10,000 people per day when the special vaccination doses are completed. In a statement to Al-Seyassah daily, Dr Ibrahim said, “Preparations are underway to launch mobile units next February to vaccinate people with disabilities and people with special needs, which will coincide with the arrival of the first batch of the ‘AstraZeneca- Oxford’ vaccine, based on a recent statement made by the Minister of Health Sheikh Dr Basil Al-Sabah.

Dr Ibrahim noted the fruitful cooperation between the public health and primary healthcare departments in taking stock and preparing a list of the names of cases eligible for vaccination through the mobile units, and to prepare a specialized medical and technical staff to work in these units, including a preventive health doctor, a nurse and an emergency technician, taking into account what is required to deal with any emergency situation.

She also explained that the Public Health Department is working to set up a mechanism to distribute the “AstraZeneca” vaccine in the preventive health centers as part of primary health care in future, due to the ease of storing this vaccine which does not necessitate of storing this vaccine below 0 degree Celsius unlike the Pfizer vaccine, pointing at the same time that this mechanism is still under study, and the public health sector has not taken any decisions regarding it.

Speaking of those registered in the electronic link for vaccination against “COVID-19”, Dr Ibrahim indicated about 175,000 have so far applied to take the dose. She pointed out on an average 1.500 people get vaccinated and after the opening of the Hall No. 6 at the Fairgrounds, the daily average is expected to jump to 3,500 injections.

She reminded, those in the frontline for vaccination are doctors, medical and technical personnel, ministries of Interior and Defense, the National Guard and the Firefighting Force personnel, as well as the elderly – those who are 75 years old and above. Meanwhile, Consultant Otolaryngologist at Farwaniya Hospital, Dr Fahad Al-Asousi, confirmed that there is a link between “COVID-19” and poor sense of smell among those infected with the virus of up to 50 percent.

In a press statement, Al-Asousi said, the weak sense of smell and taste among those infected with the virus is one of the complications the person infected with ‘Covid-19’ suffers adding that a large percentage of patients regain to these two senses within weeks of infection, and some within months.

He added, the clinics specialized in diseases of the nose and sinuses are in the initial stages of learning why the infected person loses the sense of smell. Dr Al-Asousi said all those who feel weak or lose the sense of smell to immediately seek medical, especially the moderate and severe weakness that should not be tolerated. He explained that a weak sense of smell is one of the main indicators of infection, and it differs from a sinus infection, and its rate may reach 50%.

 

SOURCE ARABTIMES KUWAIT

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