site.btaExpert Boards to Decide This Week on AstraZeneca Vaccine Use in Bulgaria

Sofia, April 12 (BTA) - Expert boards on immunology and
infectious diseases have until the end of the week to give their
 opinions on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Bulgaria,
Health Minister Kostadin Angelov told an extraordinary news
briefing on Monday after meeting with Dr Dancho Penchev,
Director of Sofia's Regional Health Inspectorate.

Angelov said interest in the AstraZeneca vaccine had declined,
but from a medical point of view the vaccine is safe and
effective. The Bulgarian health authorities have received a
letter from the Portuguese EU Council Presidency saying that the
 vaccine's use should be restricted to people over 60 across the
 EU. 

The question is what to tell people who have had their first
shot and what to do about those who want to get their second
shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine if it stops to be used in
Bulgaria, said the Health Minister. "We will discuss what to
tell those people. If there is no interest in the AstrZeneca
vaccine, the doses will be stored and we will decide what to do
with them, as per the signed contracts. So far we have not
destroyed any vaccine dose whatsoever," he said.

Angelov also said that the vaccination centres have AstraZeneca
vaccines and when the staff find that there is no interest in
them, the centre closes. The available Pfizer vaccines are
mostly used for people in the first three priority phases of the
 vaccination plan.
 
People will have a choice of vaccine in early May, said Angelov.
 NV/DD