Ammon News - Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh assured that the government is working to obtain more coronavirus vaccines from multiple sources according to the criteria set by the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, saying there is shortage of shots due to increasing global demand.

During a Senate session on Thursday, Khasawneh stressed that the government began the national vaccination campaign early under a detailed timetable and plan involving the accreditation of main and subsidiary vaccination centers that are equipped with the necessary cooling equipment.

He pointed out that the contract with Pfizer includes a 300,000-dose supply during the first quarter of this year, while another 600,000 doses of COVAX vaccine are expected to arrive by the end of this month or the beginning of next month.

The prime minister rebuffed rumors of a signed contract with Sinopharm to supply 2 million doses, but indicated that negotiations are currently underway with the company.

Responding to a senator's question, Health Minister Natheeir Obeidat stated that natural immunity can be achieved by immunizing 3 million of the Kingdom's total population, around half of the target population (18 years and over). Also, he indicated that those, who have already been infected with the virus, have antibodies. He noted that the quantities of vaccine that the government plans to procure are sufficient to achieve community immunity.

Obeidat underlined that the current vaccination rate is not an indicator of the process, which will last for a year or more, assuring that there is a logistical capacity to vaccinate 50-60 thousand citizens per day in the event that vaccines are available, or a rise in demand for vaccination.

He indicated that the total contracted vaccine quantities will cover about 15 percent of Jordanians, with COVAX covering 10 percent, and Pfizer covering 5 percent. The government is in negotiations to increase the number of vaccinated citizens to 30-50 percent, he added.

So far, 15,000 citizens were given the vaccine since the campaign began last month in 29 government-approved main centers and 45 sub-centers, the minister stated.