Thanks to the production of Covid-19 vaccines, mass vaccination against the coronavirus in Russia may begin as early as next week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.
Approximately two million doses of Sputnik V will be produced in the near future, making it possible to vaccinate the population en masse, Putin said at a meeting held by videoconference in connection with the opening of the Ministry of Defense’s multifunctional medical centers.
Doctors and teachers will be vaccinated first, he added.
“If you think we have come completely to this step, then I would ask you to organize your work in such a way that you start a mass vaccination at the end of the coming weeks,” Putin said to Deputy Prime Minister Tatjana Golyikova.
Golikova, for her part, pointed out that an assessment of the possibilities had already been made and “conclusions are now being finalized”.
Vaccination will be voluntary and free, the deputy prime minister stressed.
In Russia, two vaccines are being prepared for mass distribution – one is “Sputnik V”, developed in the center of Gamalay, and the other is “EpiVakKorona”, developed by the center “Vektor”.
Another vaccine, developed by the Chumakov Center, is in preparation before the third phase of clinical trials.
On November 27, the Russian Ministry of Health announced that mass vaccination against Covid-19 virus is planned in January and February, but vaccination of risk groups – as early as December.
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