S&P: Ukraine may vaccinate less than 3% of population against COVID-19 in H1 2021

Ukraine may vaccinate less than 3% of population against COVID-19 in H1 2021 / Photo from UNIAN

S&P Global Ratings says Ukraine may vaccinate less than 3% of population against COVID-19 in the first half (H1) of 2021.

"Ukraine is set to receive 2.3 million doses – of 8 million secured – via the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility in first-half 2021, enough to administer two doses per person to 2.7% of its population," the agency said in a report on March 12, 2021.

Read alsoCOVID-19: Health ministry pledges those wishing will be vaccinated by late 2021It is noted the Ukrainian authorities have secured 25 million doses so far through various sources, enough to immunize 30% of the population with two doses.

"However, vaccine delivery is likely to remain slow," the experts said.

Vaccination in Ukraine

• On February 22, 2021, the Ukrainian Health Ministry registered the Oxford/AstraZeneca (Covishield) COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
• The vaccine was developed by the University of Oxford in partnership with the British-Swedish company AstraZeneca. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and authorized by the UK, the European Union, and India.
• On February 23, 2021, the first batch of the Covishield vaccine arrived in Ukraine.
• On February 24, 2021, Ukraine launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. About 160 healthcare workers were first who got vaccinated, as well as members of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas.
• On March 1, 2021, Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov had had his COVID-19 vaccine shot, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was vaccinated against COVID-19 during a trip to the Donbas warzone on March 2.
• According to the Health Ministry, elderly people are next to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ukraine.