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MOSCOW: Moscow began distributing the Sputnik V COVID-19 injection through 70 clinics on Saturday (December 5), marking Russia’s first mass vaccination against the disease, the city’s coronavirus task force said.
The task force said the Russian-made vaccine would first be made available to doctors and other medical workers, teachers and social workers because they are at the highest risk of exposure to the disease.
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“You are working in an educational institution and you have the highest priority for the COVID-19 vaccine, free of charge,” read a phone text message received by a Muscovite, an elementary school teacher, early Saturday and seen by Reuters.
Moscow, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Russia, recorded 7,993 new cases overnight, up from 6,868 the day before and well above the daily counts of around 700 seen in early September.
“During the first five hours, 5,000 people signed up for the jab: teachers, doctors, social workers, those who today are risking their health and their lives,” Mayor Sergei Sobyanin wrote on his personal website on Friday.
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The age for those who receive vaccines is limited to 60 years. People with certain underlying health conditions, pregnant women, and those who have had a respiratory illness in the past two weeks cannot get vaccinated.
Russia has developed two COVID-19 vaccines, Sputnik V, which is backed by Russia’s Direct Investment Fund and another developed by the Siberian Institute of Vectors, and final tests for both have yet to be completed.
Scientists have raised concerns about the speed at which Russia has worked, giving regulatory go-ahead for its vaccines and launching mass vaccinations before full trials were completed to test their safety and efficacy.
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Sputnik V vaccine is given in two injections, with the second dose expected to be given 21 days after the first.
Moscow closed all public places, including parks and cafes, with the exception of the handover, in late March, with police patrolling the streets in search of who is breaking the rules. However, the restrictions were eased from mid-June.
Russia as a whole reported 28,782 new infections on Saturday, its highest daily count, bringing the national total to 2,431,731, the fourth highest in the world.
In October, certain restrictions were reintroduced, such as distance learning for some high school children and a 30 percent cap on the number of workers allowed in offices.
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