Poland’s embassy in Yerevan said on Thursday that the donation was made by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Armenia’s Ministry of Health.
According to Armenia’s Ministry of Health, a total of 1,168,501 vaccine shots have been administered in the country of about 3 million as of now. Only about 407,000 of Armenia’s residents, or some 20 percent of the country’s adult population, have been fully vaccinated so far.
Armenians have until now been inoculated with vaccines developed by Russia, China, Oxford University and the Anglo-Swedish company Astra Zeneca as well as the U.S. company Moderna.
After spiking in October and the first half of November, the number of daily coronavirus cases reported in Armenia began to slowly decrease in the past several days, still remaining relatively high though.
The Ministry of Health reported on Thursday morning 592 new cases and 40 coronavirus-related deaths.
More than 7,400 people have died in Armenia from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, and over 1,400 patients with coronavirus have died from other diseases during the same period, the country’s health authorities say.
During today’s session of the government Armenian Health Minister Anahit Avanesian announced the start of revaccination for citizens who were fully inoculated at least six months ago.
“We follow recommendations of the World Health Organization. There is no shortage of vaccines in the country. Citizens may choose the vaccine they want,” the minister said.
Vaccination in Armenia is not compulsory, but the government has introduced some administrative measures in an attempt to speed up the slow pace of its immunization campaign launched in April.
From October 1, virtually all public- and private-sector employees refusing vaccination have been obliged to take coronavirus tests twice a month at their own expense.
Earlier this month, the government revealed plans to make such mandatory testing weekly and introduce a mandatory health pass for entry to cultural and leisure venues.
A group of opposition lawmakers is contesting the legality of mandatory COVID-19 tests for citizens in proceedings that opened at the Constitutional Court of Armenia on November 25.