The first 7,000 flu shots purchased from the Russian Federation, which were delivered to Moldova on November 14, will be distributed to public health facilities in the municipality of Chisinau. The frontline healthcare workers who fight COVID-19 will be immunized the first.

Contacted by IPN for details, Ștefan Gheorghiță, head of the Flu and ARI Epidemiological Surveillance Division, said the vaccines are for now in the National Public Health Agency’s cold storage facilities and will be distributed to medical institutions towards the end of this week. “We are waiting for the other consignments of flu shots, which will be used to vaccinate the high-risk groups,” he stated.

Vaccination against flu is not mandatory. Before immunization, the person, if this suffers from chronic diseases, will be subject to checkups. If not, the shot will be administered, including to healthcare workers.

The next batch of 100,000 flu shots bought form Russia are to supplied in December. The shots were purchased with the funds of the National Health Insurance Company. Without VAT and customs clearance, a vaccine costs €6.

The National Public Health Agency is waiting for 100,000 flu shots bought through the agency of UNICEF. The vaccines are stored at the manufacturing company and are to be transported by a plane to Amsterdam and from there to Chisinau by a vehicle with refrigerator.