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Coronavirus pandemic

No plans to cancel free COVID-19 vaccinations in Russia — Kremlin

Mass vaccination of the adult population kicked off in Russia in January 2021

MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. There are no plans to make COVID-19 vaccinations in Russia a commercial service, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Friday.

Earlier, the deputy of the State Duma of the United Russia party Maxim Ivanov wrote on his Facebook page that the government allegedly intends to attach a cost to COVID-19 vaccinations.

"No," he said responding to a question of whether the government is planning to cancel free COVID-19 vaccinations.

Mass vaccination of the adult population kicked off in Russia on January 18, 2021. Today, five coronavirus vaccines have been registered in Russia, namely Sputnik V and Sputnik Light developed by the Russian health ministry’s Gamaleya Center, EpiVacCorona and EpiVacCorona-N developed by the sanitary watchdog’s Vector Center, and CoviVac developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Chumakov Center.

COVID-19 vaccination in Russia remains voluntary. Vaccinations are required only in some regions and for certain categories of citizens, including service workers. Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly said that he is against the introduction of mandatory vaccination. According to the head of state, it is necessary to get inoculated as "COVID-19 isn’t going anywhere."

According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, as of January 12, the level of herd immunity to the coronavirus infection in Russia amounts to 63.2%. Its level decreased during the New Year holidays in 12 regions.

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