The Ministry of Health is sounding the alarm: Ukraine has a low vaccination rate before the COVID-19 epidemic season
8 November 04:04
In Ukraine, the level of vaccination against COVID-19 remains low, with about 8 million Ukrainians unvaccinated against the coronavirus. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Health, Chief Sanitary Doctor Igor Kuzin during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine .
Kuzin said that despite the fact that the vaccination scheme has been simplified, accessibility has been ensured, and priority has been maintained, the number of vaccinated Ukrainians still remains very low.
“If we used to say that on average we had 100 and 150 thousand vaccinated Ukrainians per month, then as of now, the monthly number of vaccinated Ukrainians rarely exceeds 5 thousand, if we take the best months after the introduction of martial law,” he said.
According to him, at least 8 million Ukrainians are currently unvaccinated against covid.
“And this means that 8 million Ukrainians will be at risk during the next wave of covid, not this one,” said the Deputy Health Minister.
Kuzin explained that according to the updated recommendations, revaccination against COVID-19 is not carried out for healthy people who are not at risk, and for people with concomitant diseases, it is recommended on an annual basis.
“Mortality rates from COVID-19 are quite high. During the current epidemic season, we have already registered many deaths from COVID-19, while we have not yet had any such cases of influenza,” he said.
Who needs to be revaccinated against COVID-19
The Ministry of Health has updated recommendations for vaccination against COVID-19. According to Deputy Minister of Health, Chief Sanitary Doctor Ihor Kuzin, from now on, representatives of high-risk groups should be revaccinated annually with one dose.
“The main logic of the changes is to significantly simplify vaccination. A healthy person without concomitant diseases can receive only one vaccination, and there will be no need for revaccination,” he said.
One dose is required for the initial course of vaccination, as well as for revaccination. Revaccination is recommended after 6-12 months not for everyone, but for people in risk groups:
Those who are at risk are:
- pregnant women
- people over 60 years of age;
- adults and children with weakened immune systems or concomitant or severe chronic diseases;
- adults and children at risk of severe illness and death due to coronavirus infection;
- representatives of the professional risk group (doctors, teachers, military).
“The need for revaccination is determined by a doctor, taking into account the recommendations approved by the Ministry of Health,” the agency said.
People who have completed the basic vaccination course in previous years and received the fourth or fifth booster vaccination last year can continue to be revaccinated free of charge.
