WHO: Vaccine in Syria may only cover 3% in 1st phase

The arrival and rollout of vaccines in war-ravaged Syria may initially cover only 3% of the population in the first phase, a World Health Organization official said Tuesday.

Akjemal Magtymova, said Syria is eligible to receive the vaccine for free through the global COVAX effort, aimed at helping lower-income countries obtain the shots, but gave no details about when the first shipment was expected to arrive or how many doses it would contain.

The COVAX rollout is expected to begin in April.

Human Rights Watch, in a statement issued Tuesday, urged international aid groups to do all they can to help secure the widest and most equitable distribution of vaccines possible across Syria, including all areas controlled by different groups.

It accused the Syrian government of repeatedly withholding food, medicine and aid from political opponents and civilians and said there were is no guarantee that the two million people living in rebel-controlled northeast Syria would receive the vaccination.

The Syrian government has said very little about its vaccination plans.

Syria's health minister said earlier this month that among the most important conditions for Syria's acquisition of the vaccine is to ensure that it does not "impact Syria's sovereignty".

Magtymova said the Syrian government's application under the COVAX facility would cover 20 per cent of the population, but the number of doses to cover this might not come immediately.

She said Syria was expecting allocation of the AstraZeneca vaccine as it cannot manage the type of cold chain required to preserve the Pfizer vaccine, due to its fragile health system.

According to John Hopkins university Syria has had 14,096 coronavirus infections and 926 deaths.

In addition, more than 21,000 people have been infected and nearly 400 have died in opposition-held areas in northern Syria.

Testing remains low, with WHO providing the Health Ministry with medical and lab equipment and testing kits.

Magtymova said Syria saw its numbers peak mid-August and was now witnessing a second wave that started around mid-December, adding that numbers were currently plateauing.