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Palestinian Authority (PA) officials announced on Saturday that they expect to receive four million coronavirus vaccines from Russia next month, i24NEWS reports.

The first stage of the rollout will include 150,000 doses to vaccinate essential workers including medical staff, security services and the media personnel, said Osama al-Najjar, an official with the PA Health Ministry.

Dr. Anjar said that the vaccines will arrive towards the end of December or in early January, and that the PA is currently in the midst of discussions with the aim of procuring additional vaccines from other sources.

Meanwhile, PA “health minister” Dr. Mai al-Kaila said on Saturday that 150,000 vaccines are expected to arrive in the first shipment, and that priority will be given to medical and security personnel, as well as those working in media outside of their offices or homes.

Russia has long touted its coronavirus vaccine, but the World Health Organization has urged caution regarding the Russian vaccine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month issued instructions for a mass vaccination for the coronavirus.

After easing a previous coronavirus lockdown in late May, al-Kaila said the PA had entered a second wave of infections "more dangerous than the first".