How safe is the Indian vaccine, and when can you be vaccinated? Everything about COVID-19 vaccination in Ukraine

Photo Reuters

Viktoriia Hubareva

On February 24, Ukraine began vaccination against coronavirus with the Indian drug CoviShield. Ukraine became the 95th country to start vaccination of the population. Almost 2 weeks later, according to the Telegram channel Coronavirus Info, about 20 thousand people have already received the first dose. The Donetsk region is in the lead (2474 vaccinated), the least number of vaccinations so far is received in the Sumy region, only 350.

In comparison with other world countries, it's an insignificant amount. For example, in the United States, 78.3 million citizens received an antidote; it's the absolute leader in the number of vaccines supplied; in China, it's 52.5 million; in Britain, more than 21 million people have already been vaccinated.

The first person to receive a dose of CoviShield in Ukraine was an intensive care physician Yevhen Horenko from the department of the Cherkasy regional hospital. As a paramedic, he was in the first line for the vaccine. When asked why he decided to vaccinate, the doctor replied: "Every day I save people in intensive care and I see the consequences of the coronavirus." After Yevhen was given an injection, according to the doctor, he felt good. "The state is stable, without negative dynamics," he said.

The Minister of Health of Ukraine Maksym Stepanov also supplied himself with the same vaccine: "Each of us has an alternative: either get infected, get to the hospital, difficultly endure the disease, or even die. Or get vaccinated and save the life of yourself and your family," he wrote on his Facebook. President Zelenskyi was also vaccinated.