The Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, from the health center no. 4 in Tirana, has appealed to all teachers and students who have not yet been vaccinated, to come to the nearest vaccination center to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Manastirliu informed that on Monday the order for the presentation of the vaccination certificate by the educational staff in all schools of the country enters into force.

"Starting on Monday, we will issue the instruction that will be followed to verify those who have been vaccinated, starting with the teachers. The order contains all the decisions taken by the Technical Committee of Experts, which determines that the school institutions themselves will have to check through the mechanisms they will set up, all the vaccination certificates for the staff that will be in the schools and also starting from October 11 also for students", underlined Manastirliu.

The alternative of not having a vaccination certificate will be the weekly test or alternative tuition for unvaccinated students.

"For teachers who have not yet been vaccinated, they will have to submit the test to school institutions and confirm that they are not affected by COVID-19 and this will be a weekly request. On the other hand, the universities themselves will organize alternate teaching for those students who have not yet completed the vaccination", said Manastirliu.

The Minister of Health has informed that the increased interest in the open months of vaccination by the teaching staff, has led to over 80% of their vaccination with one dose and over 60% with two doses, presenting high vaccine coverage.

Since the beginning of vaccination, a total of 1,683,644 vaccines have been administered and 754,020 citizens have been vaccinated with both doses. In addition to focal points and health centers, vaccination is ongoing at every university in the country. So far, 2,045,310 COVID vaccines have arrived in Albania.