Buenos Aires, Nov 9 (IANS): Argentina is looking to have possession of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by December, and will administer it to the most vulnerable sectors of the population first, the chief of the cabinet of ministers, Santiago Cafiero, said.

"We are making progress in signing the contractual agreements to make it so," the official said on Saturday, confirming that the government wants "to have commercial agreements with countries, like Russia, or with laboratories, like Pfizer and AstraZeneca", Xinhua news agency reported.

Cafiero said that the administration of President Alberto Fernandez wants "vaccines for Argentineans, apart from ideology, apart from geopolitical views. We want it so that when the first vaccine is available, we have the possibility of having it in Argentina."

The government stated that vaccines will be destined in the first stage for the most vulnerable sectors of the population.

Cafiero stated that the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires will end Preventive and Obligatory Social Isolation (ASPO), which has been in effect since March 20, and will enter Preventive and Obligatory Social Distancing (DISPO) this month.

"But we must not relax, we must continue to take care of ourselves," the official said.

Argentina reported its first case of COVID-19 on March 3 and registered 1,228,814 cases and 33,136 deaths from the disease by Friday.