Algeria launches coronavirus inoculation drive with Russian vaccine
Algeria has kicked off its coronavirus inoculation campaign after receiving the first shipment of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.
The vaccination campaign began on Saturday at a clinic in Blida province, where the nation’s first confirmed coronavirus case was reported last March.
The drive began a day after Algeria received 50,000 doses of Sputnik V. It had ordered 500,000 doses from Russia in late December.
Health Minister Abderrahmane Benbouzid said Algeria was working on acquiring enough vaccines to inoculate the country's 44 million people.
The vaccination drive will be carried out in "phases" across all regions, "without exception," official news agency APS quoted Benbouzid as saying.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Ammar Belhimer said the north African country will receive the first shipment of the vaccine developed by Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on Sunday.
He further said that the country also bought doses of vaccines from China and India, without elaborating.
The campaign started with the most vulnerable, such as medical workers, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions.
From Sunday, security and civil protection personnel, workers in the education sector, religious leaders, politicians and journalists will begin to receive the shot.
Algeria has reported 2,888 coronavirus deaths and over 107,000 confirmed cases, including President Abdelmadjid Tebboune who was diagnosed with the virus in October and was hospitalized in Germany for two months.
Also on Saturday, the country decided to loosen COVID-19 restrictions by lifting a curfew in 10 provinces.
However, a night curfew remained in force in 19 provinces, with markets, sports halls and recreation centers sealed.
Algeria has yet to reopen its borders, which have been closed since March 17.
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