"Only vaccination will stop the pandemic": experts clarified the recommendations of the Ministry of Health on vaccinations against COVID-19

Vaccination is the only effective way to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

This was stated by Dmitry Lioznov, Acting Director of the Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

“Today we understand that depending on the epidemic situation, different scenarios can be applied, for example, in the case of a complex epidemic situation, the regions may decide to vaccinate certain individual categories of the population, and if this situation is stable, then these are the measures to which we actually got used to them, we adapted to them - to prevent the spread at the individual level - they work and will be preserved, ”Lioznov said.

The specialist also noted that those who were vaccinated against COVID-19 must still comply with anti-epidemic measures, such as mask mode and social distance.

“Very rare vaccine preparations are 100% effective, so practically in vaccinated people, some of them, there is still the possibility of getting sick, but the use of vaccination allows us to prevent the development of severe and lethal forms of the disease.

Each vaccinated person still has the risk of meeting the pathogen ... When we all get vaccinated, we achieve good performance, we can live differently, ”he added.

Deputy Director for Research of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Gorelov, in turn, noted that the formation of collective immunity will allow one to abandon restrictions and return to the usual way of life.

“The situation is very difficult now, in order to cope with the pandemic it is necessary that as many people as possible get vaccinated.

The faster the collective immunity is formed, the faster we will return to our usual way of life, ”he noted.

As an example, he cited Iceland, where almost 90% of the population has already been vaccinated and all restrictions have been lifted, including the mask regime.

• Dmitry Lioznov, Vladimir Dedkov, Areg Totolyan - on vaccination against COVID-19

In turn, the director of the Institute of Immunology of the FMBA of Russia, Musa Khaitov, explained that if, after being vaccinated, a person decided to test for antibodies, and their indicator is not determined, then six months later it is necessary to be vaccinated again "with a possible replacement of the vaccine preparation.

“If, after repeated vaccination, antibodies are also not detected, it is necessary to consult a doctor for a comprehensive examination,” said Khaitov, noting that it is possible to use all drugs registered in the Russian Federation for revaccination.

The specialist also urged not to be afraid to change vaccines when "serious adverse reactions" appear during the first vaccination.

“There is no need to be afraid of changing the vaccine, we are vaccinated every year with different flu vaccines,” he said.

Vaccination against COVID-19 "is no different" from vaccinations against influenza, said Oksana Drapkina, chief freelance specialist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for therapy and general medical practice, director of the National Medical Research Center for Preventive Medicine.

According to her, the vaccinated person will also be examined by a doctor who will measure body temperature, blood pressure and pulse, oxygen saturation in the blood.

In addition, the healthcare professional will talk about possible reactions to the vaccine.

“Immediately after vaccination, it is advisable to be near the doctor's office for 30 minutes - this is justified, you must make sure that everything is fine,” she explained.

Drapkina noted that the emergence of new strains of COVID-19 has led to an "aggravation" of the clinical picture in young people - complications appear, shortness of breath occurs, and the lungs are affected.

Speaking about the level of antibodies necessary to protect against coronavirus, she stressed that there is still no definitive data on this score.

“Antibodies that have developed against the original strain may not respond properly to the new strain of coronavirus.

That is why it is so important to be vaccinated in a pandemic, regardless of the level and quantity of antibodies, ”Drapkina said.

At the same time, the deputy director of the St.

Pasteur Vladimir Dedkov emphasized that human immunity to COVID-19 lasts, on average, for six months.

“This is evidenced by the studies that were carried out abroad, which were carried out by our scientists.

Therefore, the WHO recommendations are such that for a more effective fight against the epidemic, as is happening now in our country, it is necessary to be vaccinated and vaccinated, and not recovered, and recovered, but not vaccinated, and vaccinated and recovered - regardless of the category after the "last event" count six months and get vaccinated.

This is the period when vaccination is taking place according to epidemiological indicators, as it is now, ”he said.

In his opinion, when vaccination against COVID-19 enters the scheduled regime, it will be necessary to be vaccinated once a year.

• Alexander Gorelov, Musa Khaitov, Oksana Drapkina - on vaccination against COVID-19

Contraindications and questions of certain categories of persons

According to the director of the Institute of Immunology of the FMBA of Russia, Musa Khaitov, the possibility of a medical withdrawal from vaccination should be determined by the attending physician.

The main contraindications include: age up to 18 years, severe forms of allergic diseases, the period of breastfeeding, and in case of primary immunodeficiency, vaccination is carried out only in consultation with the attending physician.

“If there are such contraindications, a person should never be vaccinated.

In this case, he is given a certificate of the presence of contraindications.

In acute infectious and non-infectious chronic and oncological diseases in the acute stage, vaccination against coronavirus is done only after recovery or remission, "Khaitov explained.

At the same time, Areg Totolyan, director of the St. Petersburg Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Pasteur, said that it is safe to speak about the need for vaccination against COVID-19 in pregnant women.

“Today we can already speak with confidence about the safety of vaccination of pregnant women.

To date, enough data has been accumulated in the world on the effect of vaccination on the fetus, therefore, immunization of expectant mothers, precisely timely, is a reliable opportunity to protect both the mother and the child from the severe consequences of coronavirus infection up to miscarriages, ”the specialist said.

In turn, the director of the National Medical Research Center for Preventive Medicine Oksana Drapkina assured that vaccines against COVID-19 do not affect the human reproductive system.

“The vaccination does not affect reproductive health as the vaccine does not contain live virus.

On the contrary, it is very important to protect the reproductive system with a vaccine against the harmful and harmful effects of the virus, ”she said.

On July 2, the Ministry of Health approved the interim guidelines "Procedure for vaccinating adults against COVID-19."

The document is aimed at ensuring the effectiveness and safety of vaccination against COVID-19 in the adult population, as well as ensuring the reliability of the records of the vaccination campaign.

“Methodological recommendations were sent to the regions to organize work on vaccination of the population.

Re-vaccination and vaccination of those who have been ill have begun in the regions, ”the press service of the ministry said.