(Corrects date of Moderna vaccine's registration in paragraph 11)

RIGA, Dec 8 (LETA) - At the end of this year and the beginning of next year the availability of Covid-19 vaccines will still remain very low and not exceed 20,000 doses, but 100,000 doses are expected to be delivered from February to March, Svens Henkuzens, head of the State Agency of Medicines, told the Saeima Social and Labor Affairs Committee.

In his words, a broad vaccination of Latvia's population against the coronavirus might begin in the second quarter of 2021.

Each individual will have to receive two doses of the vaccine when it becomes available.

In the first phase of vaccination, the shots will be provided to the frontline workers who come into contact with Covid-19 patients on a daily basis. Vaccination rooms will be set up at hospitals treating Covid-19 patients.

Since initially the number of vaccines available to healthcare workers might be insufficient, they would be provided first of all to the Emergency Medical Service and medics specifically treating Covid-19 patients.

In the second phase, from February to March, the vaccination campaign would continue to target medical staff and also social care centers. In this phase, vaccination rooms would be set up at hospitals of all levels and mobile vaccination crews would visit the care homes.

The Covid-19 vaccines would be provided first to people over 60 and then gradually to younger people.

In the final phase, from the second quarter of 2021, vaccines would be provided to the priority groups and also the rest of the population. Vaccination rooms, mobile crews, family physicians and the private sector would be involved in the inoculation effort.

An extensive communication campaign would be launched during the second phase, Henkuzens said.

According to the agency's forecast, the vaccine jointly developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Germany's BionTech is likely the first to reach Latvia, with the first batch expected to contain 12,000 doses. The registration and delivery of this jab is projected for December 31 or the beginning of next year.

As for the Moderna vaccine, the date of its delivery is not clear yet, but it is expected to be registered on January 12. The first batch of Moderna vaccines for Latvia would include 27,000 doses.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is likely to be registered and delivered in the second half of January 2021. Latvia would initially receive 127,000 doses of that vaccine.