In a presentation before the Commission of the social sectors in the House of Representatives about the national strategy for vaccination against Covid-19 in the presence of members of the national scientific committee to monitor the epidemiological situation, Ait Taleb said the national immunization strategy against Covid 19 is based on free of charge, transparent, solidarity-based and voluntary.

A total of 25,631 medical personnel will be mobilized for the operation, including more than 11,000 in urban areas, with the possibility to seek help from private doctors, medical students, nursing establishments, the Red Crescent and Scout organizations, he said.

Similarly, the Minister noted that clinical trials of the vaccine against Covid 19 have not yet registered any serious side effects but only local side effects such as pain at the injection place, rash, headache and fatigue.

Ait Taleb said that the implementation of vaccination strategy will run for 12 weeks at a rate of 6 days per week and four periods of 21 days, an average of 150 to 200 immunizations per day for each health personnel, with the establishment of a back-up system for normal operation of other health services.

Vaccination will concern primarily the frontline workers, including health personnel, public authorities, security services and the staff of the national education sector. Next, the operation will benefit other people by age, since the precise implementation of this strategy will depend on the availability of the necessary quantities of the vaccine at that time, he noted.

Regarding the organization of the operation, the Minister noted the development of vaccination areas, as units within health centers who will provide services through two modes namely the fixed mode in welcoming the population on site and a mobile mode, according to a predefined program for this purpose.

Given the importance of this operation nationwide and in order to facilitate its practical implementation, a joint technical committee with representation from ministries of Interior and Health was set up at the territorial level. The body meets periodically to prepare the operation and check its operational aspects.

A national repository for the storage of vaccines was built, and a reception, storage and distribution plan of the vaccine in safe conditions was developed, while ensuring the preservation and monitoring of quality, he added.

The national vaccination campaign is a real response to the pandemic with the goal of reaching a coverage rate of 80%, necessary to ensure herd immunity and progress towards a return to normal life.

The anti-Covid19 vaccination operation will cover citizens over 18 years old according to a vaccination schedule with two injections. Thus, priority will be given to staff on the frontline, including health personnel, public authorities, security forces, staff of National Education, the elderly and vulnerable.

The operation will be later extended to the rest of the population, in order to protect public health and reduce the social and economic impact of the pandemic.