Russia begins mass vaccination drive in Moscow with its COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V

Russia's Moscow city has deployed an "all-out" mass vaccination programme as doctors, teachers and other frontline workers have been prioritised to receive the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine. According to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, residents can make appointments online to receive the coronavirus vaccine that will be carried out through 70 centres set up at the city’s outpatient clinics. Sobyanin said that 5,000 people have already signed up for the vaccination programme. 

"President of Russia Vladimir Putin has instructed us to launch a COVID-19 mass vaccination programme next week. People in high-risk groups should be vaccinated first. The city has established the entire technological and organisational vaccination chain. We have selected specialised warehouses, and prepared refrigerators and freezers for vaccine shipments. Vaccination centres have medical refrigerators, and their personnel have completed special training courses,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote in his blog.

Read: Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Gives Immunity For At Least 90 Days, Finds Study

Vaccine procedure explained

The vaccination drive is being carried out from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day from the network of stations set up across the city. So far, the vaccine will only be given to people aged between 18 to 60 years as elderly people, pregnant and breastfeeding women have been left out of the drive. The vaccine jab will not be provided to people who suffer from any chronic conditions or have a cold. People will have to maintain a window of at least 30 days between the Sputnik V vaccine and getting any other vaccine such as flu jab. 

Read: India Biggest COVID-19 Vaccine Buyer With 1.6 Bn Doses, Could Cover 60% Population: Report

Sputnik V will be administered in two doses with a gap of 21 days between each injection. People have been mandated to carry a passport, health insurance policy and an employer's certificate to prove that they belong to one of the professions prioritised by the authorities. Signing-up for the first shot of the vaccine will be enough as doctors themselves will follow-up with the patients for the second shot. Patients will receive an SMS-alert after signing up for the vaccination programme online where they will be provided with their appointment details. 

Read: UN Health Chief Says COVID Pandemic's 'end Near' After Progress In Vaccine Development

The entire vaccination procedure will take up to an hour, including 15 minutes required to unfreeze the vaccine and 10 minutes for an examination by the doctor. Patients will have to wait at the clinic for about 30 minutes after receiving the shot following which they will be examined again by the doctor. The list of people entitled to revive the vaccine jab will be expanded in the future once more stock of Sputnik V is available. 

Read: UK To Provide Financial Aid Incase Of 'severe Disability' After COVID Vaccine Inoculation