ASTRAKHAN, September 27. /TASS/. No grounds currently exist for mandating a general mask regime due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Russia and relevant decisions in Russia’s regions are being made on a case-by-case basis given the actual situation in each region, Anna Popova, head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing and top public health official, told journalists.

"As of today, the level of incidence and severity [of COVID-19] is such that, on the whole, there are no grounds for the introduction of a total mask regime in the country. Yet, depending on the epidemiological situation, grounds for introducing a mask regime do emerge among professional groups, and relevant decisions on the matter are being made in various regions. Above all, this concerns the employees of medical and social organizations," she said within the framework of joint international drills of rapid-response mobile infection laboratories held in the Astrakhan Region.

According to Russia’s top public health doctor, currently there are few such regions in the country. "Generally, this is not the flu or COVID so far, just the sum of acute respiratory viral infections, and measures are being taken for specific school grades, schools or kindergartens. There are no restrictions more serious than that anywhere in the country," she added.

As for the spread of the flu, Popova said that, according to forecasts, this year, the Russian population will encounter one of the strains of the H1N1 influenza.

"This is the most dangerous type out of the four present in the vaccine that have a tendency to spread. So, these days, the emphasis is being placed on getting medical facilities ready and on vaccinations. To date, 18 mln people have been inoculated in the Russian Federation and the goal is to vaccinate at least 70% of people in risk groups," the chief public health official noted.