Epidemiologist Genc Sulcebe said on ‘Now with Erla Mehilli’ that having 73% of the population immune, as revealed by recent research from the Academy of Sciences, is not enough.
According to him, the Delta variant has ‘changed the rules of the game’, implying that at least 90% of the population must be immunized in order to reach herd immunity.
“We need to extend the coverage to the age group below 20 which is completely unvaccinated in order to reach herd immunity. It is urgent that we vaccinate half a million Albanians”, said Sulcebe.
Epidemiologist Ilir Alimehmeti thinks differently. He believes that it is unnecessary to inoculate children given that all studies seem to diverge on one point; children tend to suffer less than adults when contracting COVID-19.
However, Alimehmeti added that only children suffering from other illnesses should get the jab, but only with the parent’s approval.
“One way to avoid infection among children is vaccinating people that are in touch with them. We need to focus on the immunization of the population and children with severe illnesses, not make obligatory, and only administering one dose”, the epidemiologist said.
The chief of the Epidemiology Department at the Institute of Public Health suggested preventative measures, in addition to vaccines, as a means to eradicate COVID-19.
“COVID-19 can’t disappear with vaccines and herd immunity only. This has never happened. A set of measures is necessary, so vaccines and measures such as social distance and hygiene. Respiratory illnesses don’t just disappear with vaccines”, said Silva Bino.
To the deputy head of the Institute of Public Health, Dritan Ulqinaku, the results of the research conducted by the Academy of Sciences are somewhat dubious.
“How do we explain the daily high figures since allegedly in June 73% of the people were immune, which means that now in October it should have reached 80%, since more people were infected and others were vaccinated”, argued Ulqinaku.
According to Ulqinaku, the small size of the population sample might have led to distorted results.
According to official data, at least 30% of the population is fully jabbed.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
