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Coronavirus pandemic

Austria’s medical association recommends government to purchase Sputnik V

According to the president of the Austrian Medical Chamber, the international experience demonstrated that the Sputnik V vaccine is safe and effective

VIENNA, March 30. /TASS/. Austrian medics consider the Russian Sputnik V vaccine safe and effective and therefore recommend the Austrian government to purchase this preparation from Russia for inoculation of Austrian residents, President of the Austrian Medical Chamber Thomas Szekeres stated on Tuesday.

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"It is very pleasing that numerous calls of the Austrian Medical Chamber to purchase an additional vaccine against COVID-19 were productive," he commented on the statement by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz following talks between Austria and Russia on intending to purchase 1 mln doses of Sputnik V.

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The association’s president said that Austria’s intention to purchase the Russian vaccine was a right one since an additional vaccine can help overcome the pandemic soon. "I would like to personally congratulate Chancellor Kurz on the intermediate result of the negotiations and I recommend a purchase," his statement reads.

"Thanks to uncomplicated storage conditions, the Sputnik V vaccine can also be ideal for use in private practice where a strong desire of doctors to get inoculated can aid Austria in achieving a major success in vaccination of residents over a short period of time," he explained.

According to him, the international experience demonstrated that the Sputnik V vaccine is safe and effective. "Millions of doses of this vaccine have already been administered without any serious side effects," he emphasized. The association’s president added that the efficacy of over 91% and 100% protection against severe cases of COVID-19 were proven during clinical trials on almost 20,000 people with the results published in The Lancet journal.

On Tuesday, Austria’s Federal Chancellery reported that Vienna and Moscow are negotiating a purchase of 1 mln doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus for inoculation of 500,000 people and supplies can be delivered in three stages - in April, May and June 2021. According to the Austrian chancellor, Austria has been conducting "a good dialogue" with Russia since February and, if Austria receives 1 mln additional doses of the vaccine, this will allow returning to normal life sooner and saving many lives and jobs. Representatives of Austria and Russia also signed a non-disclosure agreement binding the Austrian side to observe confidentiality when exchanging sensitive documents and providing access to information on the preparation in possession of the healthcare ministries of the two countries.

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