The Health Ministry has approved Ukraine’s COVID-19 vaccination program, which will take place in four stages, according to a statement by the Public Health Center published on Dec. 22.
Under the program, vaccination will be voluntary and funded by the state. The government has yet to announce which vaccine will be used.
Ukraine will start receiving the vaccine in the first quarter of 2021. The Health Ministry expects that at least half of Ukrainians, about 20 millions, will be vaccinated in 2021-2022.
People in the groups at highest risk and essential workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic, including hospitals staff, will be the first to get vaccinated, in January-April 2021.
Individuals at very high risk from COVID-19 and other medical workers will get vaccinated in April-June 2021.
People in the high risk group and essential workers will be vaccinated in June-September 2021.
The last wave of vaccination, between Sept. 2021 and March 2022, will include people at increased risk of infection with COVID-19 and the rest of essential workers.
There are nine categories of people who will be vaccinated first within the government’s vaccination plan:
- healthcare workers;
- Ukrainian soldiers serving on the front lines of Russia’s war in eastern Ukraine;
- social workers;
- staff and residents of long-term care and support facilities;
- people older than 60;
- staff of educational institutions;
- police, the military, the National Guard and the staff of other state security agencies;
- staff and inmates in detention facilities;
- people with chronic illnesses from 18 to 59 years of age.
The government has not yet said whether people outside of these groups will receive the vaccine from the state or whether it will available to them privately.
“This plan will be flexible, it will be updated depending on the situation with COVID-19, information about vaccines, their availability,” said Ihor Kuzin, acting general director of the Public Health Center.
Previously, the Ukrainian government announced that global coronavirus vaccine alliance COVAX will send Ukraine 8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for free. This will be enough for 4 million people to get vaccinated.
Additionally, Ukraine plans to buy vaccines with the funds allocated from the state budget and with the help of international donors. The government has already pledged Hr 2.6 billion ($91.6 million) for the purchase of vaccines.
