Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine might be available in Latvia from January 11

RIGA - The vaccine against Covid-19 developed by drug maker Moderna might be available in Latvia from January 11, Health Minister Ilze Vinkele (For Development/For) revealed today following the weekly meeting of coalition partners.

The European Medicines Agency is expected to approve the Moderna vaccine for use in the European Union (EU) today, January 4.

"This week we are expecting very good news from the European Medicines Agency. The Moderna vaccine will probably be approved already tonight and become available in Latvia from January 11," the minister said.

She noted that the vaccines made by AstraZeneca will be playing a major role in Latvia's vaccination portfolio. "This vaccine should be available in Europe in a matter of weeks," the minister said.

At the beginning of December 2020, the State Agency of Medicines informed that Latvia plans to receive 336,566 doses of the Moderna vaccine, but that according to the latest data obtained by LETA last week, 42,182 doses of this vaccine might be delivered to Latvia in the first quarter of this year. Data on vaccine deliveries change depending on forecasts about the registration of various vaccines and the delivery volumes projected by the producers.

As reported, on Monday, Latvia received a second batch with 13,650 Comirnaty vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech.

Voluntary vaccination of medics was started last Monday in ten vaccination rooms across Latvia.

The first vaccines against the coronavirus were delivered to Latvia on December 26. The first delivery contained 9,750 doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. Since each person has to receive two doses of the vaccine, this amount is sufficient for the immunization of 4,874 persons.