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The pace of vaccination in Russia has accelerated in recent weeks after authorities in some regions made vaccination mandatory for employees in certain sectors. Photo: Reuters
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Russia’s health authorities have approved booster vaccinations six months after the first immunization as the country fights an increase in the number of patients and deaths, the Associated Press reported.
Health Minister Mihail Murashko said at a government meeting that the ministry had issued guidelines allowing vaccination of those cured of kovid half a year after recovery, and of those vaccinated – an booster dose six months after the first vaccination. The minister referred to the “unfavorable epidemiological situation in Russia” and stressed that “after achieving group immunity and stabilization (of the epidemiological situation), vaccination (against coronavirus) will be carried out once a year.”
The minister did not provide data supporting the need for booster doses for vaccinated people, the AP notes. However, Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova mentioned “international and Russian studies” showing that the immunity of those who have spent the virus is maintained for an average of six months and gradually weakens after 9 to 12 months.
The new guidelines appear at a time when the number of infected in Russia is growing and the rate of vaccination is slower than in many other countries. The National Coronavirus Task Force has reported more than 20,000 new cases a day since Thursday last week, more than twice the average earlier this month. Today, 20,616 new cases and 652 deaths were registered – the highest daily number of deaths.
A total of 134,545 people have died in the country since the beginning of the pandemic.
Russia was among the first in the world to announce and start a vaccine against the coronavirus, but has since vaccinated only part of its 146 million population. Murashko announced today that over 23 million, just over 15 percent, have received at least one dose. Vaccination is hampered by widespread mistrust of vaccines and limited production capacity.
Vaccination rates have accelerated in recent weeks after authorities in some regions made vaccination mandatory for employees in some sectors, including government employees working in shops, healthcare, education, restaurants and other service sector businesses. But rising demand was quickly followed by reports of shortages in many regions, and experts questioned whether the country had enough vaccines.
Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said today that 36.7 million sets of the four Russian vaccines have been delivered to the country to date, and another 30 million are expected to be produced next month.
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