MOSCOW, June 20. / TASS /. Russia’s diplomatic missions to 82 countries received the Sputnik V vaccine and were able to vaccinate about 80% of staff, Head of the Department of Medical and Recreational Support in the Russian Foreign Ministry Alina Kosachenko stated on Sunday on the occasion of the Medical Worker Day.
"Since March, our foreign missions to 82 countries have received the Sputnik V COVID-19 jab. Later, we began to deliver the EpiVacCorona vaccine too. By option, as our diplomats asked. And about 80% of our employees have been vaccinated," Kosachenko said.
Kosachenko emphasized that the vaccine was delivered to the Russian diplomatic missions, including by the plane carrying Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his working trips. "We were looking for every opportunity so that the minister could deliver our COVID-19 jab when he went on business trips. Deputy Prime Minister [Yury] Borisov, [Foreign Minister Sergey], Lavrov. We sought for all ways: by diplomatic mail, by all means. All legal means so that our people got the vaccines on time," she noted.
Enormous challenge
Kosachenko mentioned that the doctors, who went to provide assistance to the Russian embassies in various countries, faced an enormous challenge, nevertheless, they addressed it properly.
According to the Russian foreign ministry’s official, an outbreak of infection on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, which also had Russians onboard, was one of the biggest challenges. "We kept the situation under control together with our diplomats and doctors <...>," Kosachenko said.
Russian doctors fought hard [against the COVID-19] even in the countries where the military-political situation was challenging. "Our task was also to prevent panic <...>. No medicine - we will send it, we will find all the ways. No means of protection - we will also send it <...>," she noted.
Launch of vaccination
Kosachenko stressed that as early as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced mass vaccination, the country’s diplomatic missions abroad had immediately started to inoculate their employees, although this process was difficult under lockdown conditions. "Our diplomats were ensuring legal grounds so that there were no objections and speculations around the fact how Sputnik V was delivered to the countries. We managed to do this. There were practically no refusals to deliver the vaccine to foreign missions," she pointed out.
According to Kosachenko, all doctors who worked abroad later admitted that Russia had the best healthcare system across the world and the pandemic had proven this.
On June 20, 2021, Russia celebrates the Medical Worker Day. Like during the Soviet time, Russia celebrates it annually on the third Sunday of June.