At the moment, Ukraine's capacities allow storing about a million doses at the required ultra-low temperatures, the minister says.
Ukraine may receive the first batch of the vaccine against the novel coronavirus as early as February 2021, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov expects.
"We very much hope we will receive the first vaccines in the first quarter of next year. Now we are trying to do everything so that the first doses came in Ukraine in February," the minister explained, according to Radio NV.
Stepanov says the Ministry of Health has already negotiated a vaccine storage strategy. Some of them must be stored at ultra-low temperatures of -80°C, that's at the country's industrial plants with the relevant refrigeration capacity, the minister added.
"We will be able to store about 1 million doses," the minister has explained.
He specified that the population categories that the Ministry of Health can "very clearly control" will be prioritized for vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine. They include medical workers, military, and teachers.
In total, the Ministry of Health plans to vaccinate about 21 million Ukrainians.
Vaccination against COVID-19 has started: Latest