Lanno: Vaccination plan should be based on manufacturer's directions

Head of the Health Board (Terviseamet), Üllar Lanno, said that even though there are debates whether to extend the time in between the two doses of the coronavirus vaccine, Estonia should base its actions on the directions given by the vaccine manufacturers.
A debate has risen in Europe whether to give the first dose of the vaccine against coronavirus to as many people as possible, and leave the second injection for when the new delivery of vaccines arrives.
"I believe that when we take the process of formulating medications, then all tests that have been done for understanding when does the immunization arises, then in the case of Pfizer, there is the understanding that after six days of the second injection, the maximum immunization should arise. The vaccine manufacturer has given clear directions on the package leaflet. I think it would be very irresponsible to start doubting the tests, which have been made. I think we should rather base our actions on the rules given to us," Üllar Lanno said on ETV's current affairs show "Esimene stuudio" Wednesday.
"When we have a pharmaceutical corporation, which is over 170 years old and knowing its corporative power, its team, I still think we should trust the team because they have done the vaccine in the best hope to help the humankind," he added.
Lanno admitted that there is a certain competition for the vaccines between countries. He said that the size of the country determines which country receives the largest amount of vaccine doses.
"It's probable that all big countries can take what they can take from the top. And some level of competition can be sensed between the countries because it didn't happen without a reason that Europe was offered a chance to buy extra doses from the factories in the U.S. Estonia bought an extra 50,000 doses of Pfizer from there," Lanno explained.
He added that Estonia has been very responsible when it comes to purchasing the vaccines and gone along with all possibilities provided by the EU.
Lanno believes that in May-June, it could be possible to reach a stage where half of the population is vaccinated.
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Editor: Roberta Vaino