Germany, Italy, New Zealand to begin COVID-19 vaccinations soon; check dates here

Germany is set to begin COVID-19 vaccinations on December 27 with first doses being provided to the residents of elderly care homes, said European nation’s health minister Jens Spahn on December 26 as the European Union (EU) is aiming for all 27 member states to begin the coronavirus immunisation on the same day. In a statement, Germany’s 16 state-level health ministers reportedly said Spahn had announced that both the expected approval as well the supply of BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine with distribution will begin shortly before 2020 ends. 

Because Germany currently holds the rotating EU presidency, it could also mean that December 27 could be the date immunisations begin in all 27-member-states. Spahn’s statement came after French Prime Minister Jean Castex said that the nation could begin COVID-19 vaccination “in the last week of December” only if all conditions are met. Earlier, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said that all member states could begin on the same day once Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the novel coronavirus is approved. Meanwhile, other nations have also started eyeing COVID-19 vaccinations as early as January 2021. 

German Health Minister said, "In these difficult days when the virus shows us very clearly how hard it can strike, there is also reason to be confident: Vaccination is the way out of this pandemic and we are well prepared on this path."

Italy

While Italy's health minister called COVID-19 vaccine as the "light at the end of the tune", nation's coronavirus emergency commissioner Domenico Arcuri's proposal of starting mass vaccinations from January has also been approved on December 17. Relaying similar approach as other nations, Italy would also immunise high-risk groups before introducing the same to general population.

New Zealand

What New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reportedly called nation's "largest immunisation rollout ever" is her government's decision of rolling out free COVID-19 vaccines to its entire population from mid-2021. New Zealand government on December 17 assured that it has secured the double-dose vaccines for all citizens and has planned to vaccinate border workers from the second quarter of the next year

Asia-Pacific

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on December 17 said that all the nations in the Asia-pacific region are not guaranteed to receive early COVID-19 vaccinations and called the leaders to adopt a long-term strategy to handle the pandemic. WHO Regional Director Dr. Takeshi Kasai told reporters in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta that developing the safe vaccine and its mass production are two different things. WHOs coordinator for essential medicines and health technologies also cautioned that some nations would be able to start COVID-19 vaccinations in the upcoming months, but the same can be pushed as far as mid or late 2021 for other countries. 

Read - Germany Enters Harder Lockdown As Virus Deaths Hit New High

Meanwhile, the nations that have either begun or have received the first shipments or have proposed vaccine plans include United Kingdom (UK), Russia, Argentina, United States, Israel, Canada, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, India, Australia among others.

Read - Germany Prepares To Lock Down To Stem Virus Surge

Germany enters harder COVID-19 lockdown

As Germany reported a record level of deaths due to COVID-19, it also entered a harder lockdown on December 16 with shops and schools shutting down in a bid to flatten the drastic spread of the novel coronavirus. As per the Robert Koch Institute, Germany recorded 179.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in just the last seven days which is significantly greater than the 149 per 100,000 reported a week ago.

Read - Germany Health Minister Says COVID-19 Vaccines To Be Approved ‘before Christmas’

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Image: AP