MOSCOW, April 2. /TASS/. It is too early to discuss the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in Russia, namely cancelling obligatory mask use, this may lead to a rise in the infection rate like in Europe, Deputy Director for Clinical and Analytical Work at the Central Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology Natalya Pshenichnaya told TASS on Friday.

"For example, in China, they took off the masks only when they practically stopped registering cases of infection. And it is too early to discuss taking off the masks and lifting other restrictions, if we don’t want to see a rise in the infection rate, like in Europe," she said.

The expert stressed that vaccination plays a big role in curbing the spread of COVID-19. She noted that the earlier Russians get herd immunity against the virus, the earlier the pandemic can be beaten.

Since the start of the pandemic, some 129 mln people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, over 2.8 mln have died. Russia has documented 4,554,264 cases of COVID-19, 4,176,419 patients have recovered and 99,233 have died.