Moscow on Saturday started to vaccinate workers who are at high risk of getting infected with the coronavirus or COVID-19 at the newly opened clinics all over the city, as per reports. The health officials stated that they had opened 70 coronavirus vaccine centers in the capital of Russia that will initially offer jabs for the education, health, and social workers.
The vaccine being used, Sputnik V, got registered in August and the developers have stated that it is 95 percent effective. They also mentioned the jab causes no major side effects but is currently undergoing mass testing. The vaccine is being offered to people in the city of 13 million who work in the health service, schools, and also social workers. The mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin stated that the list will grow as more of the vaccine became available. Thousands of people have registered for the first two jabs during the weekend.
COVID-19 Vaccination in Russia
However, the producers are expected to make two million doses by the end of the year. Online registration gives permission to the city residents in the essential professions aged 18-60 to book free appointments at 70 sites all over the city. They are going to operate from 8 am till 8 pm local time.
"You are working at an educational institution and have top-priority for the COVID-19 vaccine, free of charge," a text message received by a Muscovite read, as reported by Reuters. Moscow, which is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Russia confirmed 7,993 new cases overnight. "Over the first five hours, 5,000 people signed up for the jab - teachers, doctors, social workers, those who are today risking their health and lives the most," the mayor Sobyanin wrote on the personal website.
AFP journalists at one of the latest centers saw queues as people were waiting for their turn. The age for getting the shots is capped at 60. People having certain underlying conditions, pregnant women, and people who have a respiratory illness for the last two weeks are barred from the vaccination. Despite the rise in the number of cases, Russia did not impose nationwide lockdowns that have been seen in a few parts of Europe.
