It is likely that in the first months of 2021 North Macedonia will receive whichever COVID-19 vaccine gets approved first by the COVAX Facility, according to the state university’s Faculty of Pharmacology professor Aleksandra Grozdanova, who chairs the National Committee on Immunization.
The country has signed an agreement with the COVAX Facility for 800,000 vaccines, i.e., immunization and booster shots for a total of 400,000 people, Grozdanova said.
“The first 20 percent will go to health workers, the chronically ill, and the elderly,” she noted, adding that the rest of the population will get access to vaccines as well.
Pfizer has already applied for an emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its vaccine. Expectations are that Moderna and AstraZeneca will follow suit and apply for approval from the European Medicines Agency.
According to Grozdanova, it is possible the first COVID-19 vaccine will be approved as soon as December.
