Minister of Health Venko Filipche said on Wednesday that more citizens should apply for inoculation. He called on nationals to register for vaccination at the vakcinacija.mk website, which is functioning in best order.

On Tuesday only half of the 9,000 people who signed up for vaccination showed up for their appointment, he added.

“We’ll monitor the process today. Yesterday only 4,500 out of 9,000 citizens showed up for their appointment. We’ll try to identify what’s causing this issue. Perhaps it’s because it was the first day, the launch of mass vaccination nationwide. Honestly, I believe turnout will improve. I call on citizens to apply for vaccination at the vakcinacija.mk website,” Filipche said.

He underlined that ministers should be vaccinated next so they can go on scheduled trips.

For the time being, the Minister told reporters, people can’t choose what jab they are vaccinated with because all of them are safe, except the AstraZeneca one which can’t be administered to people under 60.

Over the course of May, Filipche said, approximately 50,000 Pfizer shots should be delivered to North Macedonia, 10,000 each week. An additional batch of Sinopharm jabs is also expected to arrive mid-May.

Talks, he noted, are underway with pregnant women and new mothers who have expressed interest in getting inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine. They are set to meet with new national immunization coordinator Aleksndra Grozdanova.

Filipche also told reporters that there’s a possibility to set up mobile teams to vaccinate nationals living in remote locations, adding that they will also be charged with inoculating homebound people and those living in nursing homes.

Moreover, the Minister said that campaigns for raising awareness over the need for vaccination have launched, with more set to follow in cooperation with UNICEF and the delegation of the European Union in Skopje.