UJ.com

Top 2 

                        FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2024
Make Homepage /  Add Bookmark
Front Page
Nation
Business
Search
Subscription
Advertising
About us
Copyright
Contact
 

   Username:
   Password:


Registration

 
GISMETEO.RU
UJ Week
Top 1   

    
Nation    

Ukraine hopes to get COVID-19 vaccine
Journal Staff Report

KYIV, Nov 21 - Ukraine said on Friday it hoped to receive 8 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the first half of next year and reported 14,575 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, passing the previous day’s record of 13,357, Reuters reported.

The tally climbed to 598,085 cases, with 10,598 deaths, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said.

The numbers come three days after Stepanov said Ukraine is likely to face a “very severe” period of COVID-19 cases, and with the government considering potential new restrictive measures.

The government a week ago introduced a lockdown at weekends, closing or restricting most businesses except essential services such as grocery shops, pharmacies, hospitals and transport.

Some mayors refused to comply with the government’s order and some business owners held protests.

Ukraine will set aside UAH 2.6 billion in the 2021 budget for purchasing enough COVID-19 vaccine to vaccinate 20 million people, said Viktor Liashko, Deputy Minister of Health.

"Ukraine will receive 8 million doses free of charge for immunization of 4 million people from the first stage under the COVAX program. To purchase more, the budget has allocated UAH 2.6 billion," Liashko said in an interview with the 1+1 TV channel.

The daily infection tally began rising in September and has been consistently high ever since, spurring the government to impose a national lockdown at weekends to strengthen steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The lockdown means closing or restricting most businesses except essential services such as grocery shops, pharmacies, hospitals and transport.

Stepanov told Reuters on Wednesday that Ukraine faced a “very severe” period of COVID-19 cases but will not tighten lockdown restrictions because measures taken last week should stabilise the situation.

Ukraine participates in the global COVAX Facility, which has been set up to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries. Stepanov said Ukraine hoped to receive enough vaccine for up to 20% of its population.

“This is 8 million doses. By Dec. 7, we must sign all technical documents and expect that in the first half of 2021 we will already start receiving the vaccine,” he said.

He said the first tranche could total 1.2 million doses and it would be used primarily for groups most at risk. He gave no further details.

Stepanov said Ukraine had also held talks with all possible vaccine manufacturers and suppliers and already issued budget funds for the purchases. (om/ez)




Log in

Print article E-mail article


Currencies (in hryvnias)
  28.03.2024 prev
USD 39.23 39.14
RUR 0.425 0.422
EUR 42.44 42.44

Stock Market
  27.03.2024 prev
PFTS 507.0 507.0
source: PFTS

OTHER NEWS

Ukrainian Journal   
Front PageNationBusinessEditorialFeatureAdvertisingSubscriptionAdvertisingSearchAbout usCopyrightContact
Copyright 2005 Ukrainian Journal. All rights reserved
Programmed by TAC webstudio