Ukraine might get first Pfizer vaccine doses in February

Ukrainian Health
Minister Maksym Stepanov announced on Dec. 15 that the country could receive
its first shipments of COVID-19 vaccine as early as February 2021. According to
online media nv.ua, Stapanov stated in a radio interview with the site’s sister
radio station that doses of Pfizer vaccine were incoming, and that the
government is arranging storage for one million doses.

Stepanov also
explained that he sees mass vaccination happening in mid-2021, and that the
state currently has plans for vaccinating approximately 21 million Ukrainians.

On the morning of
Dec. 16, the minister announced that 10,622 new cases of COVID-19 had been
confirmed in the past 24 hours. There were 264 deaths registered in that time.

In related news, on
Dec. 14, the Cabinet of Ministers passed new restrictions on public gatherings
ahead of the Jan. 8. quarantine. These new measures affect events, festivities,
catering establishments and religious commemorations starting from Dec. 19.

James Hydzik: The new
restrictions hopefully will keep the case load at a level that hospitals can
manage before the Jan. 8 quarantine begins – and they should have been in place
previously. The weekend restrictions last month did have some effect as new
case levels have dropped by approximately 1/3 since its highs in late November.
However, public approval waned, and these measures are probably the most that
can be done at this time.