Public health authorities said that 703 adverse reactions had been reported among those who received the vaccines by Friday morning.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,486 doses have been wasted in the rollout, according to the Polish health ministry.
Poland on Friday reported 6,144 new coronavirus infections and 336 more deaths, bringing its total number of cases during the pandemic to 1,502,810 and fatalities to 36,780.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced last month that his government had secured vaccines for the Polish population from six leading international drug makers.
On Monday, the latest shipment of 365,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical firm Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech arrived at Warsaw's Chopin Airport, according to Michał Kuczmierowski, head of the government's Material Reserves Agency (ARM).
Michał Kuczmierowski, head of Poland's Material Reserves Agency (ARM). Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Earlier this month, a first batch of 27,000 doses of a vaccine produced by US drug maker Moderna was delivered to the country.
Photo: PAP/Jakub Kaczmarczyk
At the end of last month, the government launched a media campaign called Szczepimy Się (Let's Get Vaccinated) to encourage Poles to get COVID-19 shots.
In the first quarter of this year, around 3 million people are expected to be vaccinated for COVID-19 throughout the country.
Healthcare workers are the top priority group for inoculation, followed by nursing home residents, the elderly, people with chronic health conditions, teachers, police, and soldiers.
The first vaccines for the coronavirus were administered in Poland on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, as part of a coordinated rollout across the European Union. Photo: PAP/Leszek Szymański
Poland this week began administering COVID-19 vaccines to citizens over 70.
People in the 80+ age group have been able to sign up for COVID-19 shots since January 15.
Seniors can send a text message to sign up for a shot. They can also go online to register or call a 989 vaccination hotline to schedule an appointment. Direct reservations at vaccination sites are possible, but officials have advised people against visiting in person to limit the risk of exposure.
Meanwhile, younger Polish adults can put their names on a waiting list for a vaccine, but for now there is no timeline on when they will be able to receive a shot.
Last Monday, Poland began vaccinating elderly people living in nursing homes, with plans to inoculate at least 70,000 in the effort.
Almost 6,000 vaccination sites are available to citizens as the country rolls out its COVID-19 immunization campaign.
The European Union, of which Poland is part, has struck deals to secure vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna, CureVac, Sanofi-GSK, and Johnson & Johnson.
The Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency is on Friday expected to approve a coronavirus shot developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University for use across the EU.
(gs/pk)
Source: IAR, gov.pl