Jordan on Monday received the first batch of Pfizer COVID vaccine, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Minister of Health Nathir Obeidat said that the Pfizer vaccine will be distributed directly to inoculation centres from Queen Alia International Airport, according to Petra.

During an inspection visit to the Jubeiha Comprehensive Medical Centre and Serums and Vaccines Department at the Ministry of Health, Obeidat told Petra that the vaccination centres across the Kingdom were provided with designated refrigerators to store the vaccine at a temperature of -70ºC to -80ºC.

The health minister added that doses will directly be distributed to vaccination centres across the country, noting that the Serums and Vaccines Department at the Ministry of Health possesses all vaccines to cover for the Kingdom’s needs for the duration of six months to one year, within the framework of the national vaccination programme.

The department received the first batch of the China-UAE coronavirus vaccine Sinopharm on Saturday, Obeidat noted.

Head of the Jubeiha Comprehensive Medical Centre Ahmad Ghreiz said that vaccination at the centre will begin on Wednesday, following a specific protocol which includes checking the recipients’ data and their medical history at first, giving them shots and then keeping them under surveillance for half an hour to ensure absence of side effects. 

Ghreiz noted that the centre is equipped to deal with the emergence of side effects.

The minister, along with Wael Hayajneh, secretary general of the Health Ministry for epidemiological affairs and the official in charge of the COVID-19 crisis on Monday held a press briefing at the Prime Ministry to acquaint the public with the latest developments relating to the COVID-19 crisis.

Hayajneh said that the ministry signed agreements to purchase certain amounts of the Pfizer vaccine and will be transported to 29 main medical centres to begin the inoculation process next Wednesday according to plan.