AKIPRESS.COM - The vaccination campaign will be carried on involving workers in trade, public transport and taxi service sectors and secondary school teachers and staff beginning from March 15, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the State Emergency Commission (SEC) S.Amarsaikhan said, Montsame reports.

The Government of Mongolia has announced its goal to fully involve the adult population in vaccination by July 1. In frame of it, immunization work kicked off on February 23 to be organized at two phases.

“According to the plan, one million adult citizens who are working and living in Ulaanbaatar city, an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, will be vaccinated in March and April and local citizens living in green zone will be immunized in May and June,” the Deputy PM said.

Underlining the country's experience that vaccinated its 1.5 million adult population within 10 days through nationwide vaccination campaign when H1N1 virus spread in 2009, the Deputy PM stressed necessary equipment, infrastructure and personnel for the vaccination have been ensured.

Since the start of the vaccination, 15 thousand healthcare workers, police and emergency management officials have received the first dose of COVID vaccine. According to surveillance, over 40 percent of them have shown symptoms such as having a fever and headache after taking the vaccine. This means the vaccine is at permittable level to be used in inoculation for the population further as confirmed by scholars and researchers. Therefore, preparation is underway to organize the vaccination in a wider scope according to the plan, the Deputy PM highlights.

40 thousand workers of trade and service sector and 5000-7000 workers of public transport and taxi service will be vaccinated in the first place. Furthermore, the Government and the SEC are planning to reopen secondary and high schools in the capital city from April 1 after making assessment on the situation. Therefore, it is being prepared to inoculate secondary school teachers and staff in vaccination as well. There are 45 thousand employees in education sector in Ulaanbaatar city while 25 thousand in rural areas.