Slow progress in Corfu vaccinations in August
COVID-19
21 Aug 2021
/ 10:41
CORFU. 55% of the population has been completely vaccinated.
The vaccination rate in Corfu, as in the whole of the country, has slowed down significantly.
Despite the fact that daily Covid-19 infections are over 40-50 and the pressure that the Corfu Hospital Covid Unit is under, the number of people getting vaccinated is decreasing.
The Director of the Mega Vaccination Centre Kostas Daravigas told Enimerosi that the decrease in the number of those getting vaccinated in Corfu and the rest of the country is around 75%.
"Appointments are being made, but at a much slower rate - especially amongst young people," he said. "The main thing, though, is that 55% of the population has been completely vaccinated. However, we see differences in the various age-groups. The 12-year-old age-group, for example, which is 15% of the island's population, is not coming to get vaccinated. Nevertheless, the last 10 days or so does not really reflect the general vaccination programme as August is a holiday month and a lot of people leave."
When the Mega Centre started administering the Pfizer vaccination the daily numbers were 600-800 - it is now approximately 200. According to Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health Kostas Zorbas, the Mega Vaccination Centre will continue to operate in the National Sports Centre in September with the same personnel.
Health Centres
The vaccination rate has also slowed down at the Health Centres. At the Agios Athanasios Health Centre, for example, which administers the Pfizer vaccination, the daily numbers are no more than 30-60, whereas previously it had been 280. On the positive side, however, although most appointments are for second shots, appointments are being made by the 16-22 age group for first shots.
At Lefkimmi Health Centre the number of people coming for the second AstraZeneca shot is now very low and at Agios Markos Health Centre, which had previously beeen administering 100 vaccinations a day, the numbers are now 40-50.
With regard to the home vaccination programme, which began a week ago, the Director of Corfu Health Centre Sophia Kavadia said that so far there have been approximately 35 home vaccinations.
According to the official data on the emvolio.gov.gr platform, 63,111 have received the first shot (+ 97 on 19/8) and 61,058 have received both shots (+ 153 on 19/8).
Concern about the number of cases
Kostas Zorbas said that the fact that the number of new daily cases recently has been regularly over 40 is a matter for concern. "The Regional Administration has taken the necessary steps to inform the public of the need to get vaccinated with a social media campaign. We all need to take care not to put further pressure on the health system." He pointed out that although initially the positive cases were mainly amongst tourists, this has now changed and it is now mostly local residents and mainly the young.
22 patients in the Special Infectious Diseases Unit
On Friday afternoon, 19 August, there were 22 Covid patients in Corfu Hospital Special Infectious Diseases Unit with 4 having been discharged in the morning, including a 23-yeqr-old. The patients are locals and the majority are unvaccinated.
The Unit remains under extreme pressure and there are admissions on a daily basis. On Thursday evening, for example, there were four new admissions with an average age of 45 and a section of the Pulmonary Clinic is now also being used for suspicious cases.
Despite the fact that daily Covid-19 infections are over 40-50 and the pressure that the Corfu Hospital Covid Unit is under, the number of people getting vaccinated is decreasing.
The Director of the Mega Vaccination Centre Kostas Daravigas told Enimerosi that the decrease in the number of those getting vaccinated in Corfu and the rest of the country is around 75%.
"Appointments are being made, but at a much slower rate - especially amongst young people," he said. "The main thing, though, is that 55% of the population has been completely vaccinated. However, we see differences in the various age-groups. The 12-year-old age-group, for example, which is 15% of the island's population, is not coming to get vaccinated. Nevertheless, the last 10 days or so does not really reflect the general vaccination programme as August is a holiday month and a lot of people leave."
When the Mega Centre started administering the Pfizer vaccination the daily numbers were 600-800 - it is now approximately 200. According to Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health Kostas Zorbas, the Mega Vaccination Centre will continue to operate in the National Sports Centre in September with the same personnel.
Health Centres
The vaccination rate has also slowed down at the Health Centres. At the Agios Athanasios Health Centre, for example, which administers the Pfizer vaccination, the daily numbers are no more than 30-60, whereas previously it had been 280. On the positive side, however, although most appointments are for second shots, appointments are being made by the 16-22 age group for first shots.
At Lefkimmi Health Centre the number of people coming for the second AstraZeneca shot is now very low and at Agios Markos Health Centre, which had previously beeen administering 100 vaccinations a day, the numbers are now 40-50.
With regard to the home vaccination programme, which began a week ago, the Director of Corfu Health Centre Sophia Kavadia said that so far there have been approximately 35 home vaccinations.
According to the official data on the emvolio.gov.gr platform, 63,111 have received the first shot (+ 97 on 19/8) and 61,058 have received both shots (+ 153 on 19/8).
Concern about the number of cases
Kostas Zorbas said that the fact that the number of new daily cases recently has been regularly over 40 is a matter for concern. "The Regional Administration has taken the necessary steps to inform the public of the need to get vaccinated with a social media campaign. We all need to take care not to put further pressure on the health system." He pointed out that although initially the positive cases were mainly amongst tourists, this has now changed and it is now mostly local residents and mainly the young.
22 patients in the Special Infectious Diseases Unit
On Friday afternoon, 19 August, there were 22 Covid patients in Corfu Hospital Special Infectious Diseases Unit with 4 having been discharged in the morning, including a 23-yeqr-old. The patients are locals and the majority are unvaccinated.
The Unit remains under extreme pressure and there are admissions on a daily basis. On Thursday evening, for example, there were four new admissions with an average age of 45 and a section of the Pulmonary Clinic is now also being used for suspicious cases.
