COVID-19 vaccinations underway in Rojava

QAMISHLI, Syria —COVID-19 vaccination is underway in northeast Syria (Rojava). 

A total of 17,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine were sent to the region last month, with priority given to health workers, the elderly and the critically ill.

“The vaccine will be given to unvaccinated health workers, the elderly, and people with critical health conditions,” said Jwan Mustafa, the co-chair of the Rojava health board.

Rojava is expected to receive another shipment of vaccines next month.

“At our last meeting [with the Syrian government], we agreed to get more vaccines by the end of June or the beginning of July,” said Mustafa.
 
Coronavirus cases are decreasing, according to Sakhir Alika, a physician and member of the Kurdish Red Crescent organization. 

“We used to receive more than a hundred phone calls every day, [but] the number has declined to 20-30 because of the lockdowns,” explained Alika.

Limited vaccination sites were rolled out in Hasaka on May 18, in order to test the demand for innoculation, according to WHO.

According to Rojava's health board, over 17,000 people have been infected with COVID-19, and 729 deaths have been recorded from the virus. 

Translation and video editing by Sarkawt Mohammed