Ukraine expects to receive COVID-19 vaccine in late March

"We also continue making efforts for Ukraine to receive COVID-19 vaccine. We very much hope to get it at the end of the first quarter of 2021," Zelensky said in a video address posted on Facebook.

He assured that the Ministry of Health has already developed a national vaccination plan. According to this plan, healthcare workers, the military, social workers, education system workers and people aged over 60 years should be the top priority groups to receive vaccine.

In addition, the Head of State promised that Ukrainian citizens from the temporarily occupied territories would be included in the vaccination plan.

"We do not forget about them, they are our people, they are all Ukrainians, and we do everything to make them feel it," Zelensky stressed.

As reported, Ukraine plans to vaccinate about 21 million people at public expense. The priority groups will include healthcare workers, servicepersons participating in Joint Forces Operation in eastern Ukraine, social workers, people living in long-term care and support facilities, workers of critical state security agencies, including the State Emergency Service, the National Guard, the Armed Forces, the National Police, the Interior Ministry, education system workers, and the elderly.

As part of the global COVAX Facility, Ukraine will receive 8 million doses of the vaccine free of charge in March 2021 which will be enough to vaccinate 4 million people as the vaccines are supposed to be administered in two doses.

Ukraine also negotiates the purchase of vaccines with vaccine manufacturers and leaders of the countries where these manufacturers are located.

ol