We are after awarding the tender. The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines will arrive on October 15, and the second on October 30," Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna told TVP on Monday.
Free vaccines against COVID-19 starting October 15?
Published Sept. 30, 2024 15:32
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This information relates to vaccines from the first awarded tender. Earlier in the month, vaccines bought from Latvia, whose manufacturer is Pfizer (Poland is in a legal dispute with the company), are likely to arrive in Poland. Leszczyna recalled that the Law and Justice government has abandoned the formula for joint purchases of vaccines p. COVID-19 within the EU. - If we had been in this project, we would have had the needed preparations today. However, we had to organize the tender ourselves, in addition, the company, which is the only one with a vaccine adapted to the new COVID-19 variant, did not take part in the tender, the minister explained.
Vaccination as before will be available at clinics and pharmacies. It remains to be seen whether there will be specific groups prioritized for access, because, at least initially, doses of the vaccine will not be plentiful at all, and due to the still high level of infection, there may be many takers - if only in the senior population.
What is known, however, is that there should be no shortage of money for the purchase of vaccines: last week, Deputy Health Minister Marek Kos informed the Public Finance Committee that on September 2, bids were opened at the Health Ministry in two proceedings for the purchase of new COVID-19 vaccines - The funds secured in the current amount of PLN 93 million will not be able to finance this purchase," he explained, seeking approval from the KFP to reallocate PLN 43 million 564 thousand within the Medical Fund for the purchase of these vaccines. The Commission (and previously the Finance Minister) gave such approval.
