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Coronavirus pandemic

Kremlin hails Russian doctors’ open letter to COVID-19 anti-vaxxers

The letter is addressed to both anti-vaxxers in general and particular people

MOSCOW, November 24. /TASS/. The Kremlin welcomed an open letter written by Russian doctors, who suggest that anti-vaxxers should personally visit the so-called red zones in hospitals and see COVID-19 patients with their own eyes, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

"We are aware [of this letter], we view this very positively," Peskov said.

In a comment on whether the mood against COVID-19 vaccines was strong in Russia now, Peskov noted: "You know, here we don’t differ from other countries around the world. There are still a limited number of people who are pessimistic about vaccines, but thank God, this number isn’t large."

Additionally, some people pay bribes, break the law and buy fake vaccination certificates, which is a criminal act. "There is a certain and fixed circle of these people around the world," Peskov said.

According to the Kremlin spokesman, there are more anti-vaxxers in some countries compared with the others, but the trend is the same - there are such people in all countries. "Just have a look, what is going on in Germany, France, Austria and the Netherlands. Everything is very similar, the tendencies are the same."

The Russian doctors, who have been heroically battling coronavirus for two years, appeal to these people, Peskov stressed. "We may hope that the indisputable authority of those, who have signed the address, will help some of these people to change their point of view," he said.

About the letter

The letter is addressed to both anti-vaxxers in general and particular people, including the leaders of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) and A Just Russia — For Truth, Gennady Zyuganov and Sergei Mironov, as well as Deputy State Duma (lower house) Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy, Russian actresses, singers and TV anchors.

The address is authored by chief doctors and heads of departments in major Russian hospitals, specializing in treating COVID-19 patients. In the letter, they expressed confidence that after visiting the so-called red zones anti-vaxxers will change their position and "less people will die.".

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