Skopje, 27 July 2021 (MIA) – The percentage of fully vaccinated people who have become infected with COVID-19 is very small and stands at approximately 0.02%. Out of 330,000 citizens who have been vaccinated with both doses, 92 patients contracted COVID-19. This just proves who useful vaccination is, Health Minister Venko Filipche said on Tuesday. He urged citizens to realize that vaccination is the only way to change the course of the  pandemic. The Minister underlined that the vaccination process in North Macedonia is going well, adding that the number of citizens vaccinated with one dose is expected to surpass 500,000 on Tuesday. Of these, 330,000 people have been fully vaccinated. “By the end of August all of these 500,000 citizens should have received both vaccine doses,” Filipche told reporters after an event at the Orthopedics Clinic. Moreover, he stressed that field vaccination is also going well, adding that some 200,000 people have been vaccinated thus far. On average, the Minister said, 3,000-5,000 people get the first vaccine dose each day, amounting to some 30,000 in the past two weeks. “In that regard, starting August vaccines will be administered only at vaccination points within health homes, with the exceptions of the Tetovo and Strumica halls which will remain operational, as well will field vaccination,” the Health Minister told reporters. He underlined that the vaccination campaign and field vaccination will resume in August, as will the inoculation of school and kindergarten employees. The vaccination rate, Filipche added, is low in the eastern parts of the country, as opposed to Ohrid and Bitola where it’s very high. 60% of the population over the age of 65 has been vaccinated, as have 630 children under the age of 18. “The campaign is set to intensify after August 14, with efforts made by the Health Ministry, the EU Delegation, the government and UNICEF, aiming to raise the vaccination rate,” Filipche noted. He said that vaccination points within health homes manage the immunization process well. “We were waiting for a large group of citizens to get fully vaccinated to avoid long queues, but walk-in vaccination will continue to take place at health homes,” he added. Filipche pointed out that health authorities don’t expect any issues regarding schedules for administering second vaccine doses. However, he expressed readiness to intervene even though health homes currently have the capacity to implement the vaccination process.