KRG has administered over 70 percent of COVID-19 vaccines

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region health workers have administered over 70 percent of coronavirus vaccines the region has received ao far, Health Minister Saman Barznji told Kurdistan 24.

"So far, 98,810 vaccines have arrived in Kurdistan Region through the national vaccination program, and ... more than 70 percent of those have been used to vaccinate the public," Barznji said Sunday.

The minister noted that "two more batches" of vaccine shots will arrive in Kurdistan Region within the next two weeks, without specifying further.

He also explained that the Kurdistan Regional Government is  in direct talks with both the Sinopharm and AstraZeneca to procure more jabs for the Kurdistan Region.

Regarding the side effects of the vaccines, Barznji said "luckily, there have not been any life-threatening irregularities for those who were vaccinated." He also claimed that there are "no major differences" between the types of available vaccines.

He emphasized that all vaccination centers and batches of the vaccines that have arrived in the Kurdistan Region are being supervised by the health ministry, international watchdogs, and representatives of the vaccine companies.

"We have eight centers that provide Pfizer vaccines, and that is because of the special storage conditions, that require negative 70 to 80 Celsius storage temperatures," Barznji added.

Addressing recent claims that vaccines Kurdistan received had been smuggled abroad, the minister said "not one vaccine has been misplaced nor has it been taken out of Kurdistan Region."