Vaccine against Covid is an injection of «confidence» for firefighters to fulfill their mission

It's not just a Covid-19 vaccine. It is also an injection of «confidence» – and tranquility – that will allow firefighters such as Miguel Teodorico and Vito Martins to fulfill their mission more safely.

These two elements of the Municipal Fire Department of Olhão are among the 617 peacekeepers from the Algarve being vaccinateds since yesterday across the region.

In Olhão, 44 municipal firefighters were vaccinated, corresponding to half of the active and command staff. The vast majority were vaccinated at the local Health Center, but there were four firefighters from Olhão who went to Faro be inoculated to make the most of the offer, bearing in mind that each vial of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, the one being used to immunize firefighters, has ten doses.

“It was very simple and nothing painful. Now I have to stay here for half an hour because of the effects that may arise, but I think everything will go normally," he told the Sul Informação Miguel Teodorico, moments after being vaccinated.

Miguel Teodorico – Photo: Hugo Rodrigues|Sul Informação

“The coming of the vaccine gives us more security. Of course, we can never neglect what the procedures are, but I think it will give us another confidence to carry out our work», added this Municipal Firefighter of Olhão.

Even so, being one of those chosen to take the vaccine now is still “a responsibility that is instilled in us. I hope we are all vaccinated very soon».

Miguel and his colleague Vico Martins were just two of the members of the Olhão corporation who were vaccinated yesterday, in an already well-oiled vaccination unit at the Health Center of Olhão.

The firefighters received the injection at the same place where, since Monday, one of the two pilot experiments of general population vaccination, outside institutions. At this stage, the vaccine remains restricted to priority citizens, namely people over 80 years old who do not live in homes and citizens over 50, but with other associated diseases, such as heart problems and chronic diseases.

«The entire process was well planned and is going well», considered Miguel Teodorico.

The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine – Photo: Hugo Rodrigues|Sul Informação

António Pina, president of the City Council of Olhão, but also of the District Commission for Civil Protection of the Algarve, pointed out that the vaccination that began yesterday will reach «all professional and volunteer firefighters in the region».

“In a first phase, it is guaranteed that 50% of the troops of these corporations will be vaccinated, which, in the end, allows to guarantee the adequate response, in case of outbreaks”.

Despite not hiding that this is an important step, António Pina guaranteed that, even without vaccine, the operational capacity of the regional Civil Protection system was never put in place, even though outbreaks have been registered in many corporations – currently, there is an asset in VRSA, so the vaccination, in this corporation, will take place later.

“We, at the beginning of the pandemic, had almost a third of the workforce in prophylactic isolation and we resisted this situation. It is necessary not to create alarmism and manage the issue of vaccination in a balanced way», recalled António Pina.

The president of the Algarve District Civil Protection Commission also took the opportunity to leave a message to the population: «when it's your turn to be vaccinated, don't hesitate».

Photos: Hugo Rodrigues|Sul Informação