Romania is to receive 1.29 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, representing 4% of the first batch of 30 million doses contracted by the European Union (EU), health minister Nelu Tataru said at local news channel Digi24.

The percentage is proportional to Romania’s population, Tataru explained.

The COVID-19 vaccines could be made available at the beginning of 2021. 

“As you know, there is a phase I and a phase II in the trial of a vaccine, generally involving a smaller sample and healthy people without comorbidities. There follows a stage or a phase III in which larger samples also include people with comorbidities. At this moment, from what we know from our European partners, there are around six companies that are doing this study, and two of them are already in phase III. We are part of the EU initiative, and we may receive the first doses of vaccine from January,” Nelu Tataru said.

“The European Community will receive a first batch of 30 million doses […], and we will receive part of these vaccines, based on our population. We have been assigned 4% of the first 30 million doses of vaccine that the European community will receive, namely 1.29 million doses,” he added.

The minister also said that the EU contracted a total of 300 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, with the option to purchase more. “Every month, the European community will receive a share of vaccines from the total contracted amount, and we will get that 4%,” he added.

People from high-risk groups, as well as those working directly with the population, such as the healthcare workers and the teachers, will be the first to get the vaccine once it arrives in Romania.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea)