An extra 500 hryvnias for the booster dose: another category of people will be able to spend the 'COVID thousand' on medicines

Elderly people will be able to use the 'COVID thousand' to pay for utilities.

Ukrainians who get a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine will receive an additional 500 hryvnias through the Diia portal as part of the eSupport program.

Volodymyr Zelensky
President of Ukraine

The booster strategy has already become a unified standard for all developed countries. Boosterization means a third dose (of the vaccine — ed.). And as part of the eSupport program, an additional 500 hryvnias will be added for those Ukrainian citizens who receive a third, booster dose of the vaccine.

In addition, the Cabinet of Ministers is working to allow vaccinated people with first-group disabilities to spend the 'COVID thousand' on medicines.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the Ministry of Social Policy, together with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, is working on the possibility of extending the eSupport initiative to other population groups.

In particular, the possibility is being considered of allowing these funds to be used for medicines for people with first-group disabilities, regardless of age.

According to Shmyhal, since January 24, people over 60 years old can use 1,000 hryvnias from the state to buy medicines. More than 7.5 million citizens have already received payments under this program.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that citizens over 60 will be allowed to pay for utilities with money received for coronavirus vaccination under the eSupport program.

Volodymyr Zelensky
President of Ukraine

During February, we will further expand the eSupport program for elderly people — they will be able to use this money to pay for utility services.

He did not explain when this change to the program will take effect and when pensioners will be able to pay for utilities with the 'COVID thousand'.

The Ministry of Economy reported that more than 7 million Ukrainians have already used the eSupport program, and citizens have already spent 1.7 billion hryvnias of the funds received.

"In total, since the program launched, 7.3 billion hryvnias have been transferred to Ukrainians' cards. Citizens have already spent 1.7 billion hryvnias of the funds received," the message says.

The most popular spending categories were:

• bookstores — 575 million hryvnias
• cinemas — 444 million hryvnias
• theaters, concerts and entertainment services — 218 million
• railway and air passenger transportation — 205 million hryvnias
• sports — 171 million hryvnias

According to the program's terms, 1,000 hryvnias can be received by all adult Ukrainians who have completed a full course of coronavirus vaccination.

The funds are provided for four months from the date of receipt, and they can be spent both online and offline (via cashless payment through the company's terminal).