First batch of COVID-19 vaccine expected by the end of this week – Stepanov

Ukraine expects to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the current week and the Pfizer vaccine under the COVAX Facility by the end of February.

Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said this on the air of Ukraine 24 TV Channel, Ukrinform reports.

"Based on the messages we received from COVAX, we expect to receive these 117,000 doses by the end of February. As for AstraZeneca, the first 500,000 doses that we expect, I think they will be delivered in Ukraine by the end of the week. There are purely logistics issues, shipments directly by India, aircraft freight etc," Stepanov said.

He explained that the delay in the delivery of the vaccine under the COVAX Facility was due to "certain bureaucratic procedures".

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