MOH: People' demand for vaccination increased 10 times

Baghdad – INA
 
The Ministry of Health and Environment confirmed on Thursday, that people demand to take the vaccine has increased 10 times higher than what it was in the past weeks, affirming the possibility to vaccinate more than 60 percent of the target groups until the end of this year.
 
The Director-General of Public Health Department at MOH, Riyadh Abdul-Amir, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The citizens' failure to adhere the preventive measures caused a wave of infections and an increase in death tolls," noting that wearing face masks can reduce the infection to more than 80 percent."
 
Abdul-Amir pointed out, "There is a good turnout in the number of people coming to the centers to take the vaccine," affirming that the ministry ordered to open all vaccination centers, as well as open new vaccination places in all hospitals and health care institutions, as it may be required to give the vaccine in some state institutions."
Regarding people’s crowd in the vaccination centers, Abdul-Amir clarified that "the ministry has prepared a mechanism to organize the operations of taking the vaccine through electronic reservation, but the citizens did not adhere to it, which led to the crowds in the centers," noting that "the ministry did not take any action that reduces the citizen's demand for the vaccine."
He added, "The preparation of the vaccine by the contracting companies is still weak, and still awaiting to increase the preparation in the upcoming days to meet the needs of citizens.
 
Abdul-Amir affirmed, the turnout of citizens has increased in recent days, as the centers recorded rates of up to 80,000 citizens receiving the vaccine per day, while in the previous weeks the rate was 8,000 people per day.
He continued, "In the event that demand continues and companies commit to preparing the needed quantities, the proportion of vaccinated people until the end of this year will be more than 60 percent of the  target categories by the vaccine."