Armenia is negotiating acquisition of Covid-19 vaccines, minister says
02.07.2020,
13:15
Armenia is negotiating acquisition of vaccines against COVID-19, which, however, are still under development, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said during a government meeting on Thursday.
YEREVAN, July 2. /ARKA/. Armenia is negotiating acquisition of vaccines against COVID-19, which, however, are still under development, Health Minister Arsen Torosyan said during a government meeting on Thursday.
He said he had already spoken with the commercial director of the US-based Moderna Company, the apparent frontrunner in the Covid-19 vaccine race, which is affiliated with an Armenian-born entrepreneur Nubar Afeyan. According to Torosyan, Armenia is very likely to buy the vaccines to be produced by Moderna.
'We are also negotiating with WHO and UNICEF, which will try to make global procurement for many countries to ensure equal distribution," said Torosyan.
According to him, the danger is that many rich countries may purchase large amounts of vaccines before they are produced and as a result they will become available to other countries very late.
He noted that according to various estimates, vaccines will be available either at the end of 2020 or at the beginning of 2021.
"But in general, the fact is that this will happen and we will be able to return to normal. We should keep up with developments and continue negotiations," said Torosyan.
For his part, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that under such conditions, the health safety rules should be tightened so as not to condemn people to death, since 530 cases of infection in Armenia means that 11 people will die.
“Many will surely recover, but each of us, not observing the rules, in all likelihood, condemns another citizen to death. It is impossible to guarantee that they will not be members of one's family. The rules are clear, their effectiveness has been proved and it is necessary to follow them,” said Pashinyan.
Armenian health authorities have reported 593 new cases of Covid-19 over the last 24 hours saying their total number has reached 26,658.
According to the Health Ministry, 6 people have died from coronavirus, four more people with confirmed Covid-19 have died from other causes. -0-
He said he had already spoken with the commercial director of the US-based Moderna Company, the apparent frontrunner in the Covid-19 vaccine race, which is affiliated with an Armenian-born entrepreneur Nubar Afeyan. According to Torosyan, Armenia is very likely to buy the vaccines to be produced by Moderna.
'We are also negotiating with WHO and UNICEF, which will try to make global procurement for many countries to ensure equal distribution," said Torosyan.
According to him, the danger is that many rich countries may purchase large amounts of vaccines before they are produced and as a result they will become available to other countries very late.
He noted that according to various estimates, vaccines will be available either at the end of 2020 or at the beginning of 2021.
"But in general, the fact is that this will happen and we will be able to return to normal. We should keep up with developments and continue negotiations," said Torosyan.
For his part, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that under such conditions, the health safety rules should be tightened so as not to condemn people to death, since 530 cases of infection in Armenia means that 11 people will die.
“Many will surely recover, but each of us, not observing the rules, in all likelihood, condemns another citizen to death. It is impossible to guarantee that they will not be members of one's family. The rules are clear, their effectiveness has been proved and it is necessary to follow them,” said Pashinyan.
Armenian health authorities have reported 593 new cases of Covid-19 over the last 24 hours saying their total number has reached 26,658.
According to the Health Ministry, 6 people have died from coronavirus, four more people with confirmed Covid-19 have died from other causes. -0-
