Poland has effectively handled its vaccination programme. Thanks to the National Vaccination Programme, Poles have free access to COVID-19 vaccines in over 7,000 vaccination centres operating across the country. So far, over 35m vaccine doses have been administered in these centres, and nearly 18m Polish citizens have been fully vaccinated. Poland has sufficient vaccine reserves for all its citizens. However, in some countries, availability of vaccines is still limited, which significantly hinders an effective global fight against the pandemic.
 
Countries that struggle with shortages of COVID-19 vaccines have appealed to other states, including Poland, asking them to resell their surplus vaccine supplies. Taking into account the risk that it might be necessary to utilise batches of vaccines with a short expiry date, Poland, like other EU member states, stands ready to help these countries, offering them vaccines with a shorter expiry date at a purchase price. 
 
Acting in the spirit of solidarity with our important partners in Eastern and Southern Europe, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki decided to give part of Poland’s vaccine supplies to selected countries of the Eastern Partnership as well as the Western Balkan countries. The surplus vaccines, currently in Poland’s stock, allow to materialise the promises made to Ukraine, for example.
 
In July 2021, Ukraine launched the 5th stage of its COVID-19 general vaccination programme, now covering all people aged 18 and older. Currently, only 10.4 per cent of Ukrainians have received the first dose and merely 6.1 per cent the second one. Ukraine needs 48m doses, 34m of which have been scheduled to arrive by the end of the year. The batch from Poland, partly re-sold at the cost of purchase and partly donated, will top up the country’s supplies.
 
Poland’s handing over the COVID-19 vaccines to Ukraine is yet another way to support Kyiv’s efforts to mitigate epidemic risks and improve the health conditions among the society. Since the beginning of the epidemic in 2020, Poland has been providing support to Ukraine in its fight against the coronavirus by supplying specialised equipment, personal protective equipment, and developing on-line services.  
 
Poland and Ukraine are bound by close cooperation in many branches of the economy and various areas of public life. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, extensive people-to-people contacts, including a significant share of Ukraine’s citizens in the Polish labour market, call for additional measures to be taken by both countries to improve health conditions on both sides of the border. Further deliveries for Ukraine are possible.

MFA Press Office

Photo: Rządowa Agencja Rezerw Strategicznych