Russia Started Distributing Covid-19 Vaccine, Half Of The Russian Population Did Not Want To Get It

Russia has distributed the first batch of Covid-19 Sputnik V vaccine to 85 regions across the country, which are expected to reach customers on September 14, but Sputnik says nearly half of Russians say that they don't want an injection.

RT TV channel quoted Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko on September 12, explaining that this is a way for the government to check the supply chain to ensure the transport system works synchronously. In addition to testing the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, logistics and distribution are also considered priorities.

The Sputnik V vaccine is researched by the Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, licensed by Russia since August and is undergoing phase 3 clinical trials according to the World Health Organization process. 40,000 Moscow people are taking part in the trial, of which 30,000 are vaccinated and 10,000 have a placebo.

Previously, the results of the Sputnik V vaccine phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials conducted in June and July, with the participation of 76 volunteers, showed that 100% of participants developed resistance to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has no serious side effects.

Minister Murashko said the Russian Ministry of Health has developed a mobile application that allows vaccine testers to report conditions throughout the process. According to TASS news agency, the list of participants volunteering to vaccinate includes many government officials and prominent experts from all fields in Russia and abroad, including the daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nearly Half Of The Russian Population Does Not Want The Vaccine

According to a new study by the University of Economics University (HSE) in Moscow, 43.4% of Russians surveyed do not want to be vaccinated, no matter where the vaccine came from. Because they believe the danger of the epidemic is being exaggerated.

The study also revealed that only 13.2% of respondents wanted to be vaccinated as soon as possible, 4.6% wanted to wait a few months. Among those who refused to be vaccinated accounted for nearly a quarter (24.6%), others wanted to wait for the results of the first series of vaccinations.

However, this index does increase compared to the previous one, when only 32.8% of the previous survey believed that the danger of the disease was overstated. Speaking to the Russian daily RBK, Moscow International Medical Cluster (MIMC) CEO Yaroslav Ashikhin explained that the Russians now see nCoV as a "less dangerous" threat:  Scientists still can't to clearly explain to everyone why there was no outbreak of disease after the opening of the border. While in some places there is no overload, making people not feel the danger of the epidemic.

On Friday, Sergey Glagolev, an adviser to the Russian Minister of Health, said that the nCoV vaccination could soon become one of the requirements for tourists or Russians to return home. Currently, the Russian domestic vaccine Sputnik V, is undergoing third stage of clinical trials.