Ukraine’s Ministry of Health now allows voluntary COVID-19 vaccination of children over the age of 12 with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, starting July 30.
Children over 12 can get the Pfizer vaccine if they have a high risk of severe disease related to COVID-19, are traveling abroad where the vaccine is mandatory or have already received the first dose of Pfizer in another country.
Children will be given two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech within 21-28 days, but they can only get vaccinated after a visit to a family doctor or a pediatrician who has issued a certificate that the child does not have any reason that being vaccinated would be inadvisable.
If they have already been vaccinated for another disease, children will have to wait 14 days to get inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine. Children with cancer who have recovered from COVID-19 should also be vaccinated.
People who live or care for children with physical disabilities will be allowed to be vaccinated first, with any available COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccination campaign
Ukraine currently vaccinates its people with the Pfizer, Sinovac, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. On July 5, Ukraine authorized the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for use.
On July 21, Kyiv’s mass vaccination center started offering Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to everyone. Previously, only CoronaVac was available at the center.
There are three ways to register for the vaccine: using the Helsi website, the Diya app or coming directly to the vaccination center.
One can submit an application for vaccination on the Diya app where they will be put on a waitlist.
After one has done so, users can select the city and choose the convenient time slot on the Helsi website. After registering, a confirmation message will be sent via SMS shown at the entrance to the vaccination center together with a passport.
Anyone registered to be vaccinated through the government app Diia can get vaccinated on the weekends at one of the country’s 50 mass vaccination centers. Kyiv’s mass vaccination center is based inside the International Exhibition Center near the Livoberezhna metro station.
Vaccination in Ukraine began on Feb. 24 and by July 30, over 3.5 million people have received the first dose of the vaccine, while over 2 million have received both doses.
In the last 24 hours, 150,080 people received the vaccine, including 61,861 who received the second dose, completing their vaccination.
Up to 40% of Ukrainians are now immune to COVID-19, claimed Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. The official said on July 16 that nearly 33% of the country’s population has recovered from the disease and acquired immunity to it. Combined with those vaccinated, the proportion might be up to 38-40%, he said.
Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko has announced that the fifth and final stage of COVID-19 vaccination in Ukraine began on July 21. This means that all willing adults will be able to get a jab.
