Coronavirus vaccinations continue in Syria’s northeast
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Vaccinations against coronavirus continue across northeast Syria this week, as the Raqqa Health Committee and health center in the city of Derik both announced the distribution of the second dose of the vaccinations.
On Monday, the health center in far northeast Syria’s Derik began distributing second doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
Serbest Hassam, who is in charge of vaccinations in Derik, told North Press that about 80 people vaccinated with the first dose received a second dose of either the AstraZeneca vaccine or the Chinese vaccine, adding that the vaccines were given to those over the age of 55.
Hassam stated that if they receive a sufficient amount of the vaccine in the coming period, they will likely begin to vaccinate those over the age of 20 who suffer from chronic diseases.
The vaccination campaign in Derik began last June, and 500 doses were allocated to the center.
In late May, the World Health Organization and Autonomous Administration Health Board began vaccinating health personnel in the People’s Hospital in Hasakah.
Vaccinations also continue in the city of Raqqa, where Health Committee co-chair Zina al-Hassan announced that distribution of the second dose began last Sunday and will continue until August 23rd.
She added that those who require the vaccine for travel, medical staff, those over 55, and those suffering from chronic diseases are among those eligible for the vaccine.
The first dose was distributed to these individuals on June 6th, and according to clinic workers, 120 people have been received at the health center in Raqqa so far.
At the end of last April, the United Nations announced the arrival of a shipment of about 200,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines through the global COVAX initiative, though local officials have complained about the low number of vaccines allocated to northern and eastern Syria.
According to al-Hassan, the Raqqa center has 2,500 packages, each of which can vaccinate ten people.
The Health Committee reported that the vaccine is safe and those vaccinated so far have not shown any severe symptoms after either the first or second dose.