MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. Viral threats similar to the coronavirus infection can become an inseparable part of reality such as climate change for example, Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Speaker Valentina Matviyenko noted in her article dedicated to development of the Russian healthcare system published in Parlamentskaya Gazeta, the official parliament publication.
"Now it is already clear that there will be no apocalypse, it is just a matter of time when we defeat the infection. However, I am convinced that this is not a reason to get comfortable. According to scientists and specialists, viral threats similar to the one we are dealing with now can become the same global challenge and an inseparable part of our reality as environment pollution and climate change," she underlined.
According to her, "we have no right" to ignore this possibility. "Consequently, it is necessary to comprehensively and thoroughly study everything relating to the emergence and spread of the current coronavirus infection and overcoming it so that we are not caught off guard if something similar happens again," Matviyenko added.
The speaker believes that the coronavirus pandemic has come to be one of the most important challenges in the history of humanity. "And arguably the most serious one after World War II," the senator wrote.
Russian vaccines
The foreign demand for Russian vaccines is constantly growing, therefore, Russia is boosting their production abroad while also meeting its internal needs, Matviyenko noted.
"Our country is ready to share technologies with the countries in need, and we are doing that despite the attempts of certain forces to politicize this issue and set up roadblocks for Russian vaccines. The demand for them is constantly rising as more and more countries want to get Russian vaccines. Therefore, their production abroad is ramped up abroad as well, simultaneously with satisfying our domestic demand. Thereby, Russia is helping other countries and nations in overcoming the danger hanging over them not for the first time in its history," she wrote.
According to the speaker, the coronavirus pandemic is a scourge for the whole humanity and will require joint efforts to be defeated.
"We are within our right to be proud that it was our country where Sputnik V, the first effective coronavirus vaccine, was developed, while other vaccines were created and introduced into civil circulation. High efficacy of the Russian vaccines has been fully proven, they are effective against all known Covid mutations," Matviyenko added.
Earlier, she said that Russia is fully open to international cooperation "with understanding that its citizens should be vaccinated first.".
A "new post-Covid time"
There are all grounds to believe that Russia can lift most coronavirus restrictions and enter a "new post-Covid time" ahead of many countries around the world, Matviyenko noted.
"There are all grounds to think that we will be able to get rid of the majority of restrictions earlier than many countries and move into a new post-Covid time ahead of many, I am personally certain of it. It will happen when herd immunity is formed in case all regions of the country act responsibly in terms of vaccination, the conditions for it have already been laid down generally. I am convinced that it will turn out like that in the end by the statistics that shows a positive dynamic of increase in those wishing to get inoculated," she wrote.
Matviyenko added that this trend is not observed just in Moscow but in most Russian regions as well. "Our country is already ranked in the top ten in the number of shots administered. The position will only get better. In this light, I want to once again highlight rational and civic attitude of Russians with satisfaction and gratitude," the speaker underlined.
According to her, it can be confidently said that the Russian healthcare system has generally withstood the coronavirus challenge. Russia is coming out of the pandemic with much lower losses and costs than many other states, Matviyenko pointed out. "It is a combination of a whole range of factors: timely and skillful implementation of the complex of sanitary and epidemiological measures, seamless activities of power agencies of all level and a high level of consolidation in the Russian society," the Federation Council speaker said.
Matviyenko underlined that the federal center, regional authorities and healthcare agencies of all levels acted swiftly and with accuracy during the pandemic, which allowed Russia to avoid a large-scale lockdown and a serious economic recession. "At the same time, certain problems were brought to light as well which should be addressed, it is a fact," she said, naming health worker deficit, lack of healthcare facilities in rural areas, small and medium-size towns and cities as some of them.