Kosovo buys first coronavirus vaccines as it speeds up rollout

FILE PHOTO: Vials labelled “COVID-19 Coronavirus Vaccine” and a syringe are seen in front of the Pfizer logo in this illustration taken February 9, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

PRISTINA — Kosovo said on Friday it agreed to buy 1.2 million Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccines, the first shots bought by the government as it works to speed up inoculations.

Kosovo so far has received around 180,000 vaccines, mostly from an EU-funded program.

“Kosovo has secured 1.2 million vaccines in a deal with Pfizer,” Health Minister Arben Vitia told a news conference.

“We are determined to continue with a much faster process to vaccinate 60% of the population by the end of 2021.”

Vitia said the rollout would be launched on June 15 with the goal of getting some 300,000-400,000 people vaccinated every month.

The country of 1.8 million people has registered 107,000 coronavirus infections so far and 2,242 deaths.

The infection rate has decreased significantly, with just 216 people testing positive and five deaths in the past seven days.

The government on Friday eased restrictions by lifting a curfew and ending the mandatory wearing of face masks in the streets.