MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. COVID-19 has not been defeated yet and still poses a direct threat, which is why there is a need to abide by the necessary preventive measures to stop the infection from spreading, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday.
"The coronavirus has not been completely defeated yet and still poses a direct threat. We can see dramatic developments in many countries, where the number of cases is growing. We need to keep all areas under control in order to reduce the spread of the virus, both along our borders and inside the country," he pointed out.
"I would like to address the citizens of Russia: My dear friends, we can’t let our guard down. I urge you to take care of yourself and your loved ones and follow all the recommendations that doctors and sanitary services issue in the most responsible manner," Putin emphasized.
The president has urged all Russian residents to get inoculated against the novel coronavirus infection in order to overcome the pandemic.
"Please, I am addressing all Russian citizens once again, get a jab," he said.
The head of state also pointed out that the solution to forming herd immunity against the coronavirus infection by autumn in many ways depends on citizens themselves. "Vaccination now has a central significance. I am asking the government, the Health Ministry, regional leaders to deal with these issues on a daily basis. The opportunity to get a jab should be extensive enough to form what’s called herd immunity by the fall. Resolving this task depends solely on us, on all citizens," he noted.
According to the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center, Russia has so far recorded 4,727,125 coronavirus cases, 4,352,873 recoveries and 106,706 deaths. The Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.