All news

School children not to be forced to vaccinate against coronavirus, says ministry

The issue is not even on the agenda

VLADIVOSTOK, September 4. /TASS/. School children aged 18 and higher will not be forced to vaccinate against the novel coronavirus infection, First Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Alexander Bugaev told TASS on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum on Saturday.

"Children will not be forced to do anything, we tell you that with all responsibility. The issue is not even on the agenda, of course," he said, adding that there is no talk about suspending unvaccinated school children from lessons either. "Absolutely," he emphasized.

Meanwhile, overall vaccination against the coronavirus is a correct choice, Bugaev noted. "As representatives of the academic society, we are responsible not only for ourselves and our near and dear ones, but also for children that we work with. But this is first of all an inward choice and a decision of a person, no one is forced to do anything," he said.

The sixth Eastern Economic Forum is being held in Vladivostok on September 2-4 in a hybrid (combined online and in-person) format, the main topic of the business program is ‘New Opportunities for the Far East in a Changing World’. Other programs that are part of the forum include Youth EEF, EEF Junior and Far East Street. The forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation. TASS is the general media partner and the official photo hosting agency of the event.