COVID-19 vaccination in Ukraine will begin next week – health minister

"We are planning to start vaccination next week," Stepanov said at a briefing on February 9, Ukrinform reports.

He reminded that the Ministry of Health in September 2020 announced that the vaccination would start in February-March 2021. The approved national vaccination plan was developed with the assistance of international experts, in particular experts from the World Health Organization.

During the first stage of vaccination, people who are at the highest risk of contracting and developing COVID-19 and people aged 60 years and older will be vaccinated, the minister added.

Stepanov also reminded that UAH 3.9 billion is envisaged in the 2021 state budget for the vaccination against COVID-19.

Ukraine will receive 8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine within the COVAX Facility. The delivery of the first batch of 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine is expected in mid-February.

Ukraine also signed an agreement to purchase 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the Chinese company Sinovac Biotech.

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