"We will reach this level in September": Putin allowed the relaxation of restrictions on travel abroad after vaccination 60% of Russians

Vladimir Putin suggested that Russians will be able to travel more freely abroad after the proportion of citizens vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country will be about 60%.

At a meeting with the chief editors of international agencies within the framework of the SPIEF, the head of state said that this figure is planned to be reached in September.

“After that, it will be possible to talk about wider access to our territory, and that our citizens will also be able to travel more freely to other countries, including European ones,” the president said.

Putin also touched upon the approval of Russian drugs by European regulators. 

“It would be nice if European regulators would recognize that people vaccinated with our vaccines are no different from those vaccinated with Moderna, or Pfizer, or AstraZeneca,” the president said.

Putin said that the delay in the registration of the Russian vaccine in Europe is due to commercial interests.

“This is buying time for the competitors of Russian companies that produce the vaccine to have time to occupy the European market, since there is a long-term contact for the supply of the vaccine,” the head of state explained.

Also on russian.rt.com The EP is concerned about cases of vaccination of EU citizens against coronavirus outside the union

At the same time, Putin admitted that by the time European regulatory authorities approve Russian vaccines, the vaccine market will be busy.

As a reminder, on March 4, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) began the procedure for the consistent examination of the registration dossier of Sputnik V.

“When the European agency issues a permit for the use of the Russian vaccine in Europe, it turns out that the market is busy, long-term contracts have been signed, the train has left for our companies,” the president explained.

At the same time, he noted that Sputnik V has already been registered in more than 66 countries.

“This market is enough for us,” the president said.

Earlier, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, said that agreements with leading pharmaceutical companies make it possible to produce in 2021 the number of doses of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, sufficient for 800 million people.

“More than 20 manufacturers in 14 countries are expected to soon produce or are already producing the Sputnik V vaccine.

We are on the way to this year's supply of vaccines in an amount sufficient for 800 million people, "- quoted by Dmitriev TASS.

Latest incidence data

Over the past day, 9145 new cases of coronavirus have been detected in Russia.

At the same time, 8,565 people fully recovered, 399 died from complications that developed against the background of COVID-19 and concomitant diseases.

Over the entire period of observations in the Russian Federation, 5,117,274 cases of coronavirus were detected.

123 436 deaths were recorded, 4 729 077 people recovered.

264,761 cases remain active.

According to Rospotrebnadzor, over 139.9 million laboratory tests for coronavirus were performed over the entire period of the pandemic, including 381 thousand in the last day.

528 thousand 952 people remain under medical supervision.

The head of the Ministry of Health, Mikhail Murashko, said that a number of Russian regions are close to defeating the coronavirus.

At the same time, the minister stressed that this is not a reason to be vaccinated.

"But the mobility of citizens continues, therefore, among other things, one must remember that even in settlements where the situation is calm and stable, it is still necessary to create a pool of vaccinated people," RIA Novosti quotes Murashko.

He expressed confidence that if all anti-coronavirus recommendations are followed, there will be no increase in the incidence in the country.

“Growth will depend on you and me.

If we are responsible, there will be no growth for sure, ”the minister said.

Along with this, Murashko spoke about the start in Russia of the production of anticoid immunoglobulin based on the blood plasma of those who had been ill.

“Production has started in Russia, we need to increase it now, and this will definitely require plasma.

Anticoid immunoglobulin is already a highly concentrated drug that can neutralize the virus, and it, of course, is of the highest priority in comparison with anticoid plasma, ”said the head of the Ministry of Health.

Earlier it was reported that the Russian Ministry of Health approved the use of the drug "COVID-globulin" against the coronavirus, created on the basis of blood plasma of people who have already undergone COVID-19.