Covid-19: Von der Leyen helps Ukraine launch vaccination campaign
President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks through screens during the forum on the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, in Kiev, February 8, 2020. AFP - HANDOUT
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3 min
In Kiev, the race against time is intensifying to launch the vaccination campaign against Covid-19 when Ukraine could be the last European country, by 2022-2023, to benefit from a vaccination generalized.
This Monday morning, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, thus asked the member countries of the EU to donate part of their vaccines to Ukraine.
An announcement that was made at a major conference in Kiev, during which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky explained his country's vaccination strategy.
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With our correspondent in Kiev,
Stephane Siohan
Many Ukrainians were worried about his inaction, so Volodymyr Zelensky, a little put on the ropes, decided to pass the overdrive.
He announced on Monday morning that vaccination in Ukraine would start this month and that his goal was to vaccinate half of the population before the end of the year.
Lately, Volodymyr Zelensky had been annoyed by the problems of access to vaccines trusted by the rich countries.
He therefore welcomed the speech by interposed screen of the President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen who called on its member countries to provide free doses to Ukraine, because "
the EU is at the side of the Ukraine, and we are a big European family
”.
These are words that will act as a breath of fresh air for the Ukrainian executive, as it managed to secure 12 million doses last Friday by the British group AstraZeneca and the American group Novavax, knowing that Kiev still plans to buy between 2 and 5 million Chinese Sinovac vaccines.
Volodymyr Zelensky also recalled his refusal to use the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, highlighting doubts about its effectiveness, but especially wishing to avoid a national psychodrama.
► To read also: Ukraine: vaccination against Covid-19, new front in the conflict with pro-Russian territories
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Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky
Vaccines
Coronavirus
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