Ukraine has received 203 thousand doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, adapted to protect against the Omicron strain, for free vaccinations from the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF as part of the international COVAX initiative.
According to the Ministry of Health on its website, the vaccine will be distributed to all regions. The storage and transportation of vaccines will be ensured by specialists of the regional centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) in compliance with the requirements of the cold chain.
The vaccine is intended for booster vaccination of those who have already received the primary COVID-19 vaccination.
According to Ihor Kuzin, Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine, more than 13 strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are currently circulating in Ukraine, and all detected mutations are deviations from the Omicron strain.
In total, since the beginning of the epidemic season in Ukraine in October, more than a million Ukrainians have fallen ill with SARS, influenza and COVID-19.
The general recommended course of primary vaccination against COVID-19 and the first booster is three vaccinations. The first booster is administered five months after the initial vaccination.
