Health Minister: I Cannot Currently State the Cost of Vaccination

All vaccines undergo three phases of clinical trials. Only vaccines that have summary data from the third phase will be imported into Armenia and evaluated by a professional committee, meaning their cost, efficacy will be assessed, and ultimately a well-considered decision will be made. This was stated by Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan during a press briefing with journalists at the Government.

The Minister also informed that a small number of vaccinations have already been administered: "We had a batch of vaccines received as a gift from Russia, but soon you will receive a larger batch. There are already several validated vaccines for use by the WHO. The professional committee has already approved several of them," said the Minister.

She also noted that in Armenia, as well as worldwide, the number of infected individuals is twice as high as the total tested. According to the Minister, in certain cases, the state has conducted testing at its own expense for specific at-risk groups, but there have also been instances where individuals have undergone testing privately. The vaccination process will be conducted in a similar manner as testing. The Minister has not yet been able to answer the question of how much vaccination will cost in Armenia. "At this time, I cannot state the cost of vaccination," she said.