In Russia, hundreds of thousands of children aged 12-17 years have already received a vaccine against coronavirus infection.

This was told to RT by the chief freelance pediatric specialist in preventive medicine of the Ministry of Health of Russia, president of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia Leila Namazova-Baranova.

The specialist recalled that the domestic immunobiological drug to protect adolescents of this age group from COVID-19 has already been tested and put into civilian circulation. 

“Currently, in Russia, as well as around the world, the typical composition of vaccines is being updated, new studies of their effectiveness and safety are planned, after which they will become available for use on the territory of the Russian Federation,” said Namazova-Baranova.

Children of all ages in the world are actively protected from the new coronavirus infection.

In most EU countries, the USA, Australia, adolescents aged 12-17 are vaccinated primarily, and in many countries, preschool and primary school children aged 5-11 are also vaccinated, the representative of the Ministry of Health explained.

“At the same time, revaccination of adolescents is provided 6 months after the end of the primary series of vaccinations.

Widespread vaccination of babies from 6 months to 4 years of age is also being discussed, since age-approved vaccines have been created that have undergone appropriate clinical studies, ”explained Namazova-Baranova.

Recall that COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months to 4 years, developed by Pfizer and Moderna, received registration from the US FDA regulator in June 2022.

Formerly head of the Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after V.I.

N.F.

Gamalei Alexander Gintsburg suggested that in Russia it would be possible to use the nasal form of the Sputnik V vaccine to vaccinate children under five years of age. 

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The day before, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic could end soon.

He announced this by comparing the data on deaths from the virus in 2020 and 2022.

At the same time, the head of WHO urged countries to continue efforts to combat the spread of infection.

Russia today is in 105th place among countries in terms of the incidence of COVID-19.

This was announced in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta by the head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova.

She also said that the Omicron-BA.5 strain now dominates in the country.

At the same time, the percentage of severe forms of the disease has decreased, most patients are treated on an outpatient basis.

As of September 15, 56,126 new cases of COVID-19 were detected in Russia per day, 4,108 patients with coronavirus infection were hospitalized, and 99 people died.

Such data is provided by the operational headquarters.

As of August 12, herd immunity in Russia stood at 7.4%.

Both components of the COVID-19 vaccine at that time in the country received 89,423,801 people, the first component - 94,697,949 people.

According to the methodological recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, until the level of herd immunity in the country reaches 60% (of the adult population), re-vaccination of the adult population is carried out 6 months after the first vaccination or transferred COVID-19.

If the required level of herd immunity is achieved, revaccination can be carried out every 12 months.

The COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17 Sputnik M received registration from the Ministry of Health in November 2021.

In early 2022, a vaccination campaign was launched among adolescents in this age group.

Formerly Director of the Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after V.I.

Gamalei Alexander Gintsburg expressed the hope that the first component of Sputnik M could be used to revaccinate adolescents against coronavirus. 

In January 2022, the Russian Ministry of Health approved conducting clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 to 11 years.

The drug was developed by the Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology named after N.N.

Gamaleya.

In June, 14 children of this age group received the vaccine as part of the trials, among them there were no significant side effects, Alexander Gunzburg told reporters about this.