The vaccine against Covid-19 began today, Monday, to be administered to people over 80 years of age living in the Algarve who do not live in nursing homes, in a new stage of the vaccination process, which also includes people over 50 years old. , but with associated comorbidities and chronic diseases.
For now, and at least "until the middle of next week", "there is a period of testing of the message system and vaccine scheduling", in which only the Health Centers of Portimão and Olhão are involved, he explained to journalists Paulo Morgado, President of the Regional Health Administration (ARS) of the Algarve,
But once the method is fine-tuned, within a few days, "the process will be extended to the entire region," the same official told reporters.
By the end of the week, 900 seniors will be inoculated with the first dose of Pfizer's vaccine. Today, the first day of this vaccination campaign in health centers, a total of 120 people will be vaccinated.
This period of experimentation with the system will be essential to extend the vaccination of these two groups to the entire region – over 80 and over 50 with comorbidities and risk diseases.
«We currently have, in the Algarve, around 25 thousand people who are able to be vaccinated at this stage. We are able to vaccinate hundreds or even thousands of people in the region, per day, so we are only dependent on the quantity of vaccines», according to the head of the Algarve's ARS.
Joaquim Horta Correia, 91, was one of the first to be inoculated this morning at the Olhão Health Center. The retired agronomist did not hide his satisfaction with the process, which he said was fast and efficient.
«I entered at 10:50 am and was immediately attended to. I did not stop! I only had to stand still for half an hour afterwards,” the mandatory rest period after vaccination, to monitor any adverse effects, he described.
“It was all very fast, very normal. I was even impressed, because I see the opposite on television», he commented.
This user was notified on Sunday through one of the daughters, the contact that the Health Authority had. «Today I came here with this other daughter of mine, with whom I live. I was very happy to be called», he confessed.
D. Maria Olívia is 90, one year younger than Mr. Joaquim, but she is also full of vivacity and in a good mood. She gladly agrees to pose for the cameras while being vaccinated. "Is it already?" he asks as soon as he realizes that the syringe is no longer in his arm.
"It didn't cost anything, it's a vaccine like the others," he guaranteed.
Maria Olívia was vaccinated just before noon, although she was originally scheduled for 16 pm. "They called to ask if I could come right away and I did," he explained.
Since the vaccinations in the morning went quickly, it was possible to start calling some of the users who were due to come in the afternoon.
It is, moreover, to streamline this entire process, that this first pilot phase is taking place, in Olhão and Portimão, and which focuses only on the elderly.
These users have been contacted by telephone, bearing in mind that «older people have greater difficulty in using or not even knowing how to use mobile phones», but the idea is to bet heavily on SMS.
“We are testing a new scheduling and booking system, which includes direct SMS booking. The user receives a message from the number 2424, then with an appointment proposal. If you say yes to the SMS, the vaccine is automatically scheduled», explained Paulo Morgado.
"This is a new system that, obviously, makes the work of our services easier, because some of the people are immediately scheduled and there is no need to call or even be sending a letter by letter," he added.
In other words, although the system that is now being tested is preferably based on SMS, “we must always have a mixed system, to take care of all situations and not leave anyone out”.
Later, when the mass vaccination process starts, “we will probably open, in articulation with the municipalities, vaccination centers scattered throughout the region,” concluded Paulo Morgado.
Photos: Hugo Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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