TASHKENT, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan has placed an order for 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX initiative led by the World Health Organization, an Uzbek health official said Tuesday.

"Uzbekistan has become a member of COVAX, and our application for 2 million doses was approved," Deputy Head of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Service Nurmat Atabekov told Uzbek state TV.

People over the age of 65, medical workers, as well as school and kindergarten teachers will be given priority regarding vaccinations, he said.

So far, Uzbekistan has registered 76,180 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 612 deaths.