Vaccination against coronavirus of homeless persons begins in Belgrade

Photo: Tanjug/AP/Darko Vojinovic

Vaccination of homeless persons started today in two day centers and a club for the elderly in Belgrade, which the city set aside only for the homeless, and with the mediation of Red Cross volunteers, 17 of them applied for vaccination.

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Seven homeless people were vaccinated in the day center for the elderly Stari Grad I in downtown Belgrade, while a medical facility was also opened in Venizelosova Street, where those who did not make an appointment can also get vaccinated.

City Secretary for Social Welfare Natasa Stanisavljevic stressed the importance of vaccinating all endangered groups in order for veryone would be equally protected and safe.

"Red Cross volunteers, working in the field, have been informing all homeless people about vaccinations that they can do, in addition to healthcare centers, in places where they are used to coming like the club for the elderly Stari Grad I that has had more than 1,000 visits in the last three months, and soon this will also be possible in the Palilula club for the elderly. We will do everything to make sure the space for vaccination is easily accessible, and those using it are informed," Stanisavljevic said for Tanjug.

Thee secretary of the Red Cross Stari Grad branch, Aleksandar Petrovic, stressed the importance of opening such checkpoints where people without a roof over their head can have a hot meal, hot beverages, and take care of some basic needs.

"We already have 125 people who are regular users of our facility and when they come we try to inform them and distribute brochures about vaccination opportunities. Homeless people are showing interest in vaccination, and the most common questions are related to the choice of the vaccine itself."

Reports about the process of immunization of vulnerable groups have been actively carried out for four months in all places where the homeless gather, and the experience so far has shown that they are very satisfied with the fact that they are included in the process of immunization.

"In addition to these checkpoints, vaccination is also performed in other institutions that are used by endangered groups, so as many as 90 percent of users of the institution for collective accommodation in Kumodraska Streethave been vaccinated, and many of them have been revaccinated. Counting the employees, we have over 2,000 vaccinated persons," added Secretary Stanisavljevic.

Most users of the Stari Grad center with whom the Tanjug spoke have been vaccinated, and some of them will do so in the coming period. Djordjevic Stanko and Ogorlic Tihomir are users of the club for the elderly who say that they regularly visit the Stari grad I, adding that they came today to get vaccinated.

"I was vaccinated two days ago with the Russian vaccine in the healthcare center Palilula and I feel great.

I found out about the vaccination through the media and I applied very easily through eUprava, and immediately the next day I received an invitation to get vaccinated," said Acimovic Aleksandar, one of the institution's users who got vaccinated.

(Telegraf.rs)