Brnabic: "Today is the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic, but the fight's not over"

Today is the day that marks the beginning of the end of the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said, after she received the coronavirus vaccine at the Torlak Institute in Belgrade.

"As the prime minister and someone who heads the Crisis HQ, I felt the need to be the first to be vaccinated, to show that we believe in the agency for medicines, in medical workers and in all those who worked on this day and night. It was my obligation, but also an honor, to do it for my country," she said.

Brnabic is the first prime minister in Europe to receive the vaccine against coronavirus.

"Apart from Britain, Serbia is the first country in Europe to receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine. We've done a great thing and we will not stop for a moment until the immunization of the population has been completed," she said in front of Torlak.

The prime minister added that she and President Vucic decided to receive different vaccines.

As she said, the president will receive a vaccine from the next shipment, adding that she believes it will be the Chinese vaccine.

She announced that vaccines from the Chinese manufacturer Sinovac -Sinopharm, as well as certain quantities of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V are expected to arrive soon, while AstraZeneca and then Moderna's vaccines should arrive at the end of the first, or beginning of the second quarter of next year.

"As we promised, citizens will have at their disposal all the vaccines that receive permits in their countries and from relevant international agencies, and which will of course pass all our agencies and institutes," said Brnabic.

However, she appealed on everyone not to understand the beginning of the vaccination as the fight now being immediately over, but to continue to respect all protective measures.

"To be safe, to help healthcare workers, so that in 2021 we will be slowly taking off our masks, when immunity is acquired, and until then we will see this not as a victory but as the beginning of the end," said Brnabic.

The prime minister was the first to receive the vaccine, followed by Minister Darija Kisic Tepavcevic and epidemiologist Predrag Kon.

"This is a great day for Serbia, the entire region and for Europe. We 're starting a counter-offensive, we're starting a fight with a weapon in hand, with a vaccine. At this moment, there is still an emergency situation in our hospitals. We are doing everything in our power to convey the right message to people. The vaccine that is registered for use in our country, in accordance with the law, is completely safe and secure. Behind that is ALIMS (the medicines agency), which was the most important thing to me. I wish all the citizens of Serbia all the best in the coming period. We will be vaccinated in accordance with the operational plan and priorities," Dr. Predrag Kon said.

"Today is a great day for our country. I am proud that our country is one of the first to procure this vaccine, which we promised would be done. You know that vaccination in nursing homes starts today. The vaccine is free but voluntary. There has been great interest - they are once again setting an example for us," said Minister Kisic Tepavcevic.

(Telegraf.rs)