Moldova to buy 400,000 doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine

Moldova launched its vaccination drive after receiving AstraZeneca doses from neighbouring Romania as humanitarian aid at the end of February. The country then became the first in Europe to receive doses from the global COVAX scheme for poor nations last month. Separately Russia has promised to send 182,000 doses of its Sputnik V vaccine as humanitarian aid, including 60,000 doses to the breakaway Transdniestria region.

Moldova will buy 400,000 doses of the Chinese Sinovac coronavirus vaccine, the health ministry said in a statement on Friday. Moldova and neighbouring Ukraine, two of Europe's poorest countries, have lagged behind the rest of the continent in the scramble for vaccines and welcomed donations from friendly governments.

COVID-19 has killed 5,307 people in Moldova, a country of 3.5 million, which declared a state of emergency last week to give the government more powers to fight the pandemic. Moldova launched its vaccination drive after receiving AstraZeneca doses from neighbouring Romania as humanitarian aid at the end of February.

The country then became the first in Europe to receive doses from the global COVAX scheme for poor nations last month. Separately Russia has promised to send 182,000 doses of its Sputnik V vaccine as humanitarian aid, including 60,000 doses to the breakaway Transdniestria region.