UN: COVID-19 May Push Over 9 Million Ukrainians Into Poverty

The COVID-19 pandemic is pushing Ukraine towards its worst recession in decades and may push more than nine million people into poverty. More than 80% of households have lost income, the press service of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Ukraine reports.

As noted, more than 40% have at least one family member who has lost a job since the beginning of the pandemic.

As for eastern Ukraine, the effects of socioeconomic decline are likely to be devastating for the populations in the war-torn region.

“In non-government controlled areas, 58% of families report they have adopted negative coping strategies to meet basic needs, up from 49% in early 2020,” the report reads.

As a reminder, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and a number of officials of the Office of the President and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine contracted COVID-19 over the past several days.

At the same time, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Ukraine Viktor Liashko stated that the decision on the approximate date of the coronavirus vaccine delivery to Ukraine would be made on 19 November. Ukraine will receive about 8.5 million doses. According to him, the country is working with the COVAX Facility which will ensure the deliveries of coronavirus vaccine to Ukraine in case of its registration with proven safety and effectiveness.

Bohdan Marusyak