On Tuesday, August 24, the Russian Ministry of Health updated the temporary guidelines on the procedure for vaccination against coronavirus infection.
“Earlier, the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Mikhail Murashko said that experts allowed the use of the Sputnik Light vaccine for patients over 60 years old.
It is recommended for booster vaccinations.
In addition, those who have already had illnesses can be vaccinated with this drug.
Corresponding changes have been made to the instructions for the medical use of the vaccine, ”the message says.
In addition, the updated guidelines expanded the section on vaccination of patients with HIV infection.
“The Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) vaccine is recommended for the prevention of COVID-19 in HIV-infected patients who begin antiretroviral therapy four weeks after starting antiretroviral therapy,” the text says.
It is noted that the Sputnik V vaccine is not contraindicated in patients with immunosuppressive or immunodeficient conditions.
The Ministry of Health also clarified the situation with the issuance of QR codes. For those who have been fully vaccinated, including the one-component vaccine "Sputnik Light", the validity period of the QR code will be one year, but if the epidemiological situation worsens, it may be limited to six months. For people who have a negative PCR test result, the QR code is valid for 72 hours, for those who have been ill - within six months from the date of recovery.
“It is necessary to take into account and explain to citizens that according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the consequence of vaccination against COVID-19 cannot be COVID-19 disease, as well as a positive result of a PCR test or laboratory antigen test.
The vaccine does not form an active disease in people, but creates an immune response.
Although the COVID-19 vaccine protects a person from severe disease and death, it is currently being studied to what extent it prevents its transmission to other people, ”the Ministry of Health said.
The Ministry pointed out the need to comply with sanitary measures and a mask regime to protect others, even after vaccination against COVID-19.
COVID-19 statistics in Russia
In Russia, over the past day, 18,833 new cases of coronavirus infection were detected.
The largest number is in the Moscow region (1125), in Moscow (1105 - the lowest figure since March 23) and in St. Petersburg (600).
During this time, 18 636 people recovered, 794 patients died.
The total number of COVID-19 cases registered in the country has reached 6,785,374; since the beginning of the pandemic, 6,053,503 patients have recovered in Russia.
177 614 people died from complications due to coronavirus infection and concomitant diseases.
According to Rospotrebnadzor, more than 175.7 million laboratory tests have been performed in the country for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, more than 1.256 million people remain under medical supervision.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin suggested making the requirement for teachers to wear masks in class as recommendatory rather than mandatory.
According to him, in the metropolitan region, about 80% of teachers were vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We are starting the year well.
I don’t know how necessary it is for teachers to wear masks, because in the classroom children sit without masks, and teachers talk and talk in masks all day long.
This is such a complicated story, maybe we, while the opportunity allows, will transfer these requirements from mandatory to recommendation, you will determine it yourself at the school level, ”the TASS mayor is quoted as saying.
Since Friday, August 27, a number of restrictions imposed due to the spread of coronavirus infection will be eased in St. Petersburg, the press service of the city administration said.
From this day, the operation of entertainment and leisure facilities located in shopping centers is allowed (when they update their safety standards, restrict visitors and vaccinate employees);
visitor access to children's playrooms, water parks;
for indoor attractions;
for sports and physical education events.
The current decrease in the daily increase in COVID-19 cases is a temporary respite, said Yevgeny Timakov, an infectious disease specialist and vaccinologist, chief physician of the Leader-Medicine medical center, on the air of Sputnik radio.
“We still have a huge layer of population susceptible to coronavirus infection, that is, not an immune layer.
After the end of the vacation period, when the learning process in schools and institutes begins, most likely, this layer will begin to become infected with coronavirus infection.
With a probability of more than 90%, we will get an increase in the incidence in mid or late September, ”said the infectious disease doctor.
According to him, the only way to reduce the chance of getting into the statistics on the incidence of coronavirus is to participate in the vaccination campaign.
To date, four vaccines against coronavirus have been registered in Russia: Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, developed by the N.F. Gamalei, "EpiVacCorona" of the State Scientific Center of Virology and Biotechnology "Vector", as well as "KoviVak", produced by the Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immunobiological Preparations named after M.P. Chumakov RAS. On August 17, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, announced that the fifth domestic vaccine against COVID-19 is on its way.