MADRID, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Spain will abolish value-added tax (VAT) on the sale of COVID-19 vaccines and tests until the end of 2022, in accordance with newly-reached European Union agreements, a senior official said Wednesday.

In Spain COVID-19 vaccinations will be free for citizens and administered by the public health system, Spain's Finance Minister and Government Spokesperson Maria Jesus Montero told the press after the weekly cabinet meeting.

The decision, she explained, is in line with EU guidelines issued on Monday requiring members states to modify VAT rates to zero or reduce the rates "temporarily."

Meanwhile Spanish Health Minister Salvador Illa explained that Spain will kick off vaccination in January, aiming to cover a large percentage of the population by May.

On Tuesday the ministry reported 9,773 new COVID-19 infections with 373 deaths over the previous 48 hours, taking the total count to 1,712,101 with 47,019 deaths.

It was the first time since August that the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 inhabitants had fallen below 200.