Doctor reveals how Serbia will choose the right coronavirus vaccine for its citizens

At today's press conference, epidemiologist Dr. Darija Kisic Tepavcevic revealed how the right vaccine against coronavirus will be chose for the Serbian market  - once there is one.

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"The issue of immunization is a very important and exclusively a public health issue. When, how and at what moment, and whether a vaccine will be imported to our country, whether it will be mandatory or recommended... there is clear protocol for everything that is based exclusively on professional elements and the needs for vaccination. No other parameters and criteria can come into consideration."

Kisic Tepavcevic pointed out that although at this moment a large number of countries are racing to make a vaccine that is as safe and as efficient as possible, there is still none that we could receive in the near future.

"What needs be clear to all of us is that all vaccines that are in use in our population and that will be in use, have passed all safety control procedures and those are the vaccines that are used in other countries, primarily in the EU. Therefore, no vaccine, not only for Covid but also for all diseases, will and can be used unless it has all appropriate certificates and has passed procedures and controls in our Agency for Drugs and Medical Devices. It must be safe and highly effective," she pointed out.

And when might we expect it?

"No one can accurately define that timeline for you, but no vaccine has gone through all the stages of research. Once produced, its procurement is not easy. When we procure vaccines in the regular calendar and assess their required quantities, this is done through public tenders and it is a procedure that is planned a year in advance. When it comes to Covid, everything is specific, but it's not something that is measured in days, or I would dare to say even in months," she said,, and answered whether this could happen by the end of the year:

"We all hope that something like that is possible, the whole world hopes so because it would significantly strengthen us as a population in the fight against this virus, but at this moment we cannot say that's something certain. There are possible hopes that are placed in at least two to three pharmaceutical companies that are nearing the end of their research. But we cannot talk about it as something that is certain," she concluded.

(T.T./Telegraf.rs/Telegraf.co.uk)