More COVID-19 Vaccines Arrive In Iceland

Over 14,000 Pfizer vaccines arrived in Iceland today alongside a batch of 1,200 Moderna vaccines.

Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason appeared at a civil defence meeting yesterday saying that Iceland would not be excluded from receiving more help. It is expected that the country will receive 30,000 vaccines in the next two months.

The Icelandic Medicines Agency has also licensed the AstraZeneca vaccine and plans are being made to have 14,000 vaccines delivered each month.

Þórólfur Guðnason has not announced where these vaccines will be distributed but he did say that it is possible younger groups of people will receive these doses.

Vaccinations are taking place between between 9:00 and 15:00 at Suðurlandsbraut 34 today. These will be for people in priority group six; a group of 2,600 people, 70% of which have already started vaccinating in nursing homes.

Ragnheiður Ósk Erlendsdóttir, the director of nursing for capital area health clinics, spoke to RÚV saying, “This is all on Suðurlandsbraut, where we are mixing and where we have set up very good housing with lots of space and lots of chairs. People come in and are directed to certain rooms where they get a seat and wait for 15 minutes after receiving the injection.”

There are 36,000 people over the age of 70 who are expected to be vaccinated by the end of March. There are 23,000 people over the age of 80 however only 10% have started taking the vaccine.

30% of people over the age of 90 have been given the vaccine with 10% of those being finished with their treatment.

The Icelandic Disability Alliance and the Downs Association have both criticised the distribution of the vaccine as those suffering with chronic diseases have been placed in priority group 7, the next in line to receive treatment.

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