Moscow starts inoculating vulnerable workers against coronavirus

MOSCOW – The city today began vaccinating workers at high risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus at newly opened clinics across the city. 

Health officials said they had opened 70 coronavirus vaccine centres in the Russian capital that would initially offer jabs for health, education, and social workers. 

“Citizens from the main risk groups who come into contact with a large number of people in connection with their professional activities can get vaccinated,” officials said.

Russia was one of the first countries to announce the development of a vaccine, Sputnik V – dubbed after the Soviet-era satellite – in August but before beginning final clinical trials.

It is currently in its third and final stage of clinical trials involving some 40,000 volunteers.

Sputnik V’s developers last month said interim results had shown the vaccine was 95% effective and would be cheaper and easier to store than some alternatives.

The jab uses two different human adenovirus vectors and is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap. 

The vaccine will be free to all Russian citizens and inoculation will be voluntary. 

Health officials today said that during the initial rollout in Moscow the jab would not be available to workers over 60, those with chronic diseases, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. 

They did not say when the vaccine would be available to the wider public. – AFP, December 5, 2020