150,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from China to arrive in Kyrgyzstan on March 19

Bishkek, March 18, 2021 / Kabar /. 150 thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccine from China will arrive in Kyrgyzstan on March 19, Director of the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis Gulnara Ishenapisova told at a press conference at the Kabar News Agency.

She noted that the government is working closely with Russia and China to obtain COVID-19 vaccines. “We expect 500 thousand doses of the Russian and 150 thousand doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine as humanitarian aid, which is currently being registered with the WHO,” Ishenapisova said.

She noted that, at the first stage, vaccination centers will be opened in the cities of Bishkek, Osh, Kant and Sokuluk region of Chui Oblast. Medical workers, teachers, social workers, Interior Ministry officers, customs officers, border guards and people with chronic diseases, elderly people over 65 years old - all who are at risk will be vaccinated at the first stage.

According to her, 70% of the population in Kyrgyzstan should be covered with vaccinations. Kyrgyzstan, as a country with a low level of development, together with 94 countries, entered the COVAX program.

“As part of our membership in this program, we expected the receipt of vaccines as humanitarian aid. We were recommended the AstraZeneca vaccine. The procedure for obtaining these vaccines involves many procedures. We were expecting this vaccine in April, but when there were cases of side effects of this vaccine in Denmark. We have temporarily stopped receiving this vaccine pending the completion of a causal investigation and an official conclusion. Since the country was already expecting to receive this vaccine,” Ishenapisova said.

Deputy Health Minister Nurbolot Usenbaev added that medical workers have undergone training, special training and prepared special premises. “In addition, digital programs have been developed to successfully implement the vaccination process. Everyone who gets vaccinated will be included into the database and if any side effects are detected, we will learn about it sooner,” he said.