Ministry of Health in talks with vaccine manufacturers to begin vaccinations in February
Ukraine will receive the first batch of vaccines under the global initiative COVAX at the end of the first, at the beginning of the second quarter of 2021, but the Ministry of Health is negotiating with manufacturers to begin vaccinating the population in February.
Health Minister Maksym Stepanov announced this at a briefing.
"According to preliminary estimates, we should receive the first batch of vaccine in the first half of next year. We expect the end of the first, the beginning of the second quarter. This is a global initiative of COVAX, which Ukraine has joined. We've signed all the documents, and received the approval of our technical application, so we expect the first deliveries of vaccines at the end of the first, at the beginning of the second quarter at the initiative of COVAX. This is something that has already been confirmed," Stepanov said.
At the same time, he said, the Ministry of Health was negotiating with manufacturers to speed up vaccines arriving in Ukraine.
"In addition, we are now working hard with manufacturers from whom we will purchase vaccines. These are all manufacturers who are currently undergoing certification of their vaccines and have passed all clinical trials. We already have all the proposals; we are polishing them, and are trying to get these vaccines to Ukraine as soon as possible, so we start the first vaccination according to our set goal, February next year," Stepanov said.
According to the Minister, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has joined the process of negotiations on supplying COVID-19 vaccines to Ukraine.
According to Stepanov, Zelenskyi is negotiating directly with the leaders of other countries in order to speed up the supply of vaccines to Ukraine.
