Lithuanian experts discuss further lockdown easing steps, vaccination issues

VILNIUS – The Lithuanian government's health experts are on Monday discussing further COVID-19 lockdown easing steps and rules for vaccinating people who have recovered from the coronavirus.

"The experts will discuss possible further models for the spread of the pandemic and its management: at what level of immunization of the population (vaccination plus naturally acquired immunity) and at what indicators of the spread of the pandemic, the occupancy of beds in hospitals and intensive care units it is possible to plan a return to life as normal with COVID-19 as a seasonal disease," Rasa Jakilaitiene, the prime minister's spokeswoman, told BNS. 

The experts will also discuss "when and how many doses to administer to those who have already had COVID-19," she added. 

Currently, people who recovered from the coronavirus more than six months ago are eligible for the jab. 

Aiste Suksta, the health minister's spokeswoman, told BNS that the experts should also discuss whether to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine to younger people.

Gytis Andrulionis, director of the State Medicines Control Agency (SMCA), said earlier on Monday that the country could revise its AstraZeneca vaccination strategy following an additional analysis by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) of the vaccine's benefits and risks.  

The additional analysis has shown that the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine to people aged 20–29 and 30–39 years could be revised taking into account the national infection rate, hospitalizations and the availability of other vaccines, he said.