Health Minister Venko Filipche said that COVID-19 vaccine will be acquired through WHO’s COVAX mechanism.
“COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility is a WHO mechanism that will ensure the equitable distribution of an adequate amount of vaccine according to the population in certain countries. The EU signed contract with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for purchase of a vaccine against COVID-19 for all the Member States of the EU. And North Macedonia also received an offer to procure the AstraZeneca vaccine with help from Poland. I want to thank the Polish ambassador to our country for his assistance,” Filipce said Thursday in an interview with TV Klan.
He said that neither the quantities nor the distribution of the vaccine by countries are known yet. But our country will have timely access to the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes available.
“Acquiring enough shots to immunize 20% of the population is enough. These 20% include senior citizens, patients with chronic illnesses, children, etc. High risk groups of people are first in line to get the vaccine, but we’ll continue to gather information and follow advice,” Filipche said.
