Sputnik V vaccine: Vladimir Putin orders mass vaccinations in Russia

Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered the authorities to begin the mass voluntary vaccinations against COVID-19 next week.

The development comes after Russia recorded 589 new daily deaths from the novel coronavirus.

As per the report, Russia will have 2 million Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine doses within the next few days.

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Last month, Russia said that the Sputnik V vaccine was 92 percent effective, as per the initial results.

Putin told Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova "Let's agree on this - you will not report to me next week, but you will start mass voluntary vaccinations...let's get to work."

Golikova had stated that large-scale vaccination could begin on a voluntary basis in the month of December.

The rise in coronavirus cases in Russia has slowed since reaching a high on November 27. Russia reported 25,345 new cases on Wednesday.

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Russia has resisted imposing lockdown amid the second wave preferring targeted regional curbs.

Russia has 2,347,401 cases. It is the fourth-largest number of COVID-19 cases in the world. The United States is on the top followed by India and Brazil. It has reported 41,053 deaths ever since the pandemic started.

Meanwhile, the museums, theatres, and concert halls have been in the city to break the chain of COVID-19.

-PTC News