Hungary began inoculating healthcare workers against COVID-19 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Saturday. The first vaccine was administered by János Szlávik, head of infectology at Budapest’s South Pest Central Hospital.
According to MTI, the first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine, which arrived in Hungary early on Saturday, contained 9,750 doses, enough to inoculate 4,875 healthcare workers. Szlávik said Hungary was set to receive larger quantities of the vaccine later.
Szlávik said numerous studies had affirmed the safety of the vaccine, adding, at the same time, that it may come with the same side effects experienced after other shots like pain at the point of injection, a slight temperature the day after receiving the vaccine or muscle aches. The health authorities will be extremely cautious in the case of vaccine recipients who in the past have suffered a severe allergic reaction or shock after consuming certain foods or beverages, he added.
Human Resources Minister Miklós Kásler also welcomed the arrival of the vaccine. “Though we still have to wait to begin mass vaccinations, today we took a significant step in terms of curbing the epidemic,” he said. The first vaccine shipment crossed Hungary’s border with Austria and was transported to Budapest’s South Pest Central Hospital under police guard.
Photo credit: MTI