Russia may develop herd immunity against Covid-19 by first half of 2021: Report
1 min read 20 Jan 2021, 04:23 PM IST60% of the country’s population needs to be vaccinated this year, according to Russian officialRussia confirmed 21,152 COVID-19 cases in the past day, a new low since November 18
PremiumRussian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Wednesday that herd immunity against COVID-19 in the country could be reached as early as the first half of this year, the RIA news agency cited him as saying.
"We expect collective immunity against coronavirus could be created in the first half of this year," he was cited as saying.
Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova emphasized the need to carry out a vaccination campaign in a way to make sure that herd immunity formed before the fall season. According to her, 60% of the country’s population needs to be vaccinated this year.
Meanwhile, Russia confirmed 21,152 COVID-19 cases in the past day, a new low since November 18, the anti-coronavirus crisis centre told reporters on Wednesday.
The total case tally hit 3,633,952. The average growth rate reached 0.6%.
On Monday, a mass coronavirus vaccination campaign began in Russia. Russians willing to be vaccinated can choose between two vaccines, Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on January 13 handed down instructions to move from large-scale vaccination of at-risk groups to mass vaccination. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said that about 2.1 mln coronavirus vaccine doses would be released for civil distribution before the end of January.
Two coronavirus vaccines have been registered in Russia so far. The Sputnik V vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and EpiVacCorona was created by the Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology Vector. A vaccine made by the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products is going through clinical trials.
