Ukraine must prepare for fourth COVID wave

Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov stated in a
briefing on May 11 that Ukraine must prepare for a fourth wave of COVID, online
media pravda.com.ua reports. Stepanov noted that the strain first found in India
was now found in Poland and Romania and other European countries, and that this
was going to be a “serious challenge for Ukraine”. Stepanov labelled the third
wave of the virus, which has just passed, as “difficult”.

Stepanov also announced that the government had
managed to procure another 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccine this year. This
brings the total amount of Pfizer vaccine coming to Ukraine in 2021 to 20
million doses out of 42 million doses of all vaccines.

James Hydzik: Stepanov is
pointing to objective issues, but there are other considerations. The third
wave that just passed strained Ukraine’s medical system and, locally, cracked
it. Avoidable failures such as medical institutions not making good on
agreements with municipal hospitals also appeared.

However, the criticism of Stepanov’s lack of action
in regional and nation-wide terms began even as the wave rose. He will be
facing political and social scrutiny over the course of May, including a
parliamentary review. Stepanov is not crying wolf – a fourth wave is inevitable
in Ukraine, and probably sooner rather than later. However, touting the vital,
but eventual arrival of vaccines instead of reporting on changes within the
ministry and preparations in order to better face the fourth wave is not the
way to engage in public relations before these reviews.