Russia starts applying Sputnik Light, the single-dose version of its vaccine

Russia’s Health Minister Mikhail Murashko on Saturday announced the start of distribution among the population of the first batches of the Single dose Sputnik Light vaccine (in fact, this is part 1 of the device known to date), against the backdrop of an increase in coronavirus cases in Moscow and a record number of deaths in the city of Saint Petersburg.

“The control phase and the first series of the Sputnik Light vaccine ended yesterday they were put into circulation civilian, ”said Murashko, who expects around 2.5 million doses to be available by the end of June.

The Sputnik light is a single dose version Sputnik V vaccine, which initially requires two doses 21 days apart for complete immunization.

On the other hand, Russia has recorded 21,665 new cases of covid-19 and 619 deaths related to the disease during the last day, according to data provided this Saturday by the national operational center against the coronavirus and collected by the official Russian news agency Sputnik.

Meanwhile, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin regretted the current situation and confirmed that they are experiencing an increase in covid-19 infections.

“We are experiencing the pandemic again”, Sobianin pointed out to Rossiya Channel 1, where he claimed that Moscow would have already ended the pandemic if “a new coronavirus mutation” had not appeared, referring to the Delta variant identified in India.

Moscow has recorded 8,457 cases in the last hours and 96 more deaths below the local death record that St. Petersburg has broken, with 107 deaths since Friday.

the the total number of deaths from the pandemic in Russia is already 132,683, while 5.4 million patients have been registered.

Meanwhile, concern is growing among local authorities about the slow vaccination rate in a country where only 11% of the population – out of 146 million people – have completed their immunization schedule, according to estimates collected by The Guardian.

From Monday, cafes and restaurants in Moscow will require Vaccine QR Codes for customers to be seated. Hospitals will turn away patients seeking elective surgeries.

In addition, public spaces, including outdoor play areas, have been closed, while the government and service industries have set a goal of vaccinating in the coming days. 60% of its employees.

LGP