The Latest: Romanian woman, 104: Vaccine is only solution

BUCHAREST, Romania — A 104-year-old Romanian woman has received her second vaccine against COVID-19, becoming the oldest person in Romania’s capital of Bucharest to be fully inoculated.

Accompanied by family members into Bucharest’s Children’s Palace, Zoea Baltag, born in 1916, welcome her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and declared it the only way to combat COVID-19.

“A vaccine is the only way to get rid of this virus,” Mrs. Baltag said.

The pandemic had forced the centenarian — whose granddaughter is a doctor and convinced her to get vaccinated — to spend around a year physically distancing from her close relatives,

“I missed very much my great-grandson, I want to see him growing up. I’ve not been able to be with my grandchildren because I stayed isolated from them until now in order to not risk catching the virus. Everyone in the family is vaccinated now we can now spend the holidays together,” she said.

Mrs. Baltag, who was born two years before the Spanish Flu pandemic, appeared sharp of mind and did not report any side-effects after receiving her first Pfizer vaccine. She waited the usual 15 minutes after her second dose in case of any adverse effects.

___

THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

— UK variant hunters lead global race to stay ahead of COVID-19.

— Did COVID-19 stress, uncertainty stall anti-smoking push?

— Longest-serving bookseller among 25,000 Czech virus victims.

— UK to further ease lockdown; nervously eyes European virus surge

— Albania starts mass COVID vaccinations before tourist season

— Mexico’s real COVID-19 death toll now stands at over 321,000.

___

— Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at...