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Coronavirus pandemic

Russian health minister says revaccination against COVID-19 to be needed in future

According to Murashko, a health surveillance system has been established

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko Ekaterina Shtukina/Press Service of the Government of the Russian Federation/TASS

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko

© Ekaterina Shtukina/Press Service of the Government of the Russian Federation/TASS

MOSCOW, March 31. /TASS/. People vaccinated against coronavirus will require revaccinations in the future, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Rossiya-1 television channel on Wednesday.

"We expect that revaccinations will most likely be needed. Everything will depend on the herd immunity rates both inside the country and beyond, as activity always recovers," the minister said.

According to Murashko, a health surveillance system has been established.

"We have an electronic resource where this data is collected. Therefore, we assess how an individual responds and how protected they are. If necessary, we can safely introduce corrections now," he added.

Apart from that, Murashko said that the Sputnik Light vaccine was undergoing a registration process.

"It has just arrived at an expert agency of the Health Ministry for testing. It is part of Sputnik V. It is the first dose. Young people develop a good response, well, perhaps the experts should give their opinion, it will be used for revaccination," the health minister informed.

Good immunity

Murashko has informed that he chose Sputnik V to get vaccinated against the coronavirus and already has good immunity.

"Yes, I had the vaccine produced by the Gamaleya Institute. Because I visit medical organizations because of my work, including red zones, it means that I just like all health workers should get this preventive defense which allows avoiding severe complications and illnesses," he said.

The minister pointed out that he felt well during the vaccination period. "I have a good immune response. It makes me feel comfortable when I particularly work in medical organizations where coronavirus patients are stationed due to my working duties," he stressed.

Pace of coronavirus vaccine supplies

The last few weeks have seen an increase in the pace of coronavirus vaccine supplies to Russian regions, Murashko said.

"In the last few weeks, the pace of vaccine supplies to Russian regions have risen," he said, adding that there are 4,500 stationary and 1,500 mobile vaccination points.

Murashko underlined that the main goal now is to ensure that enough vaccines are delivered.

CoviVac vaccine

Russia’s CoviVac coronavirus vaccine may be released into civilian circulation in early April, Murashko said.

"I think it will be released within the first ten days of April. The first doses will already be available," he said.

Murashko added that the vaccine was currently undergoing quality control.

"We have a very tough system to release [it] for use. It is really one of the world’s best systems for quality control nowadays," he noted.

The Russian Health Ministry registered the inactivated whole virus vaccine CoviVac on February 19. The Chumakov Center plans to produce up to ten million doses of its vaccine per year.

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