Macedonian healthcare authorities will begin distributing the Sinopharm vaccine on May 4th, said Minister Venko Filipce. The shipment of 200,000 doses is expected on April 28th and it will be the first serious quantity of vaccines Macedonia will have on stock.
The shipment was delayed for months after Filipce tried to use a shell company to procure the vaccines, in an apparent move to divert the commission, and the Chinese company temporarily withdrew from the deal. The opposition is demanding a criminal investigation of the Minister over this scheme.

The vaccines are badly needed, as Macedonia has nearly used up its reserves of Sputnik V vaccines donated by Serbia, and currently has only about 10,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines and some Astra Zeneca, which is only given to elderly people. About 45,000 citizens have been vaccinated with the first dose so far – one of the lowest rates in the region. Some 15,000 Macedonian citizens are estimated to have taken an Astra Zeneca vaccine in Serbia.

Pfizer reportedly promised to the Government that in May it will begin delivering between 5,000 and 7,000 doses each week.