1,715 Almaty citizens to receive COVID-19 vaccine by day’s end

ALMATY. KAZINFORM – 1,715 people will have been given shots of the COVID-19 vaccine in Almaty city before the end of the day, Laura Myrzagali, Deputy Head of the city’s Public Health Department, said, Kazinform correspondent reports.

According to Mrs Myrzagali, the injection of the 0.5ml-dose first component of the vaccine is set to finish before the day’s out. Thus, a total of 1,715 will have been inoculated. Re-vaccination with the second component will begin next week.

According to her, 55 people were not give the shots due to medical reasons, three rejected to receive the vaccine.

The Deputy Head of Almaty’s Public Health Department reminded of voluntary nature of the COVID-19 vaccination, saying that it is people’s constitution right not to get a vaccine.

In Mrs Myrzagali’s words, as of today, only health workers, who are the first to receive vaccine jabs, including workers of infectious diseases hospitals, intensive care units, isolation rooms, front desks, clinics, and so on have been vaccinated.

She adds that re-vaccination will begin on February 22, 2021.

According to her, the most common reactions recorded among the health workers received the vaccine are sleepiness, headaches, and fever. Such reactions are said to be a normal immune response and could last for up to two days.

Immunization is carried out in accordance with the rules and in compliance with the «cold chain».

As of today, SK Pharmacy has delivered 1,750 doses of the vaccine to the city as part of the first batch. The second batch containing the same amount of doses is to arrive any day now.

Notably, Kazakhstan began mass COVID-19 vaccination on February 1, 2021.