Vladimir Putin does not apply the Sputnik V vaccine because it is not yet recommended for people over 60

The uncertainty and doubts generated by the first vaccine against the coronavirus that will arrive in Argentina, Sputnik V, were widened this Thursday with statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who explained why it has not yet been applied.

“I follow the recommendations of our specialists and that is why so far I have not had the vaccine, but I’ll do it without fail when possibleThe Kremlin chief said when answering a question of whether he had been vaccinated.

Putin explained that the vaccine used in the country’s vaccination campaign, Sputnik-V, is not recommended for people over the age of 60, it is applied to a certain age group, from 18 to 60 years old. “People like me haven’t received the vaccine yetSaid Putin, who turned 68 on October 7.

In any case, he promised that he would be vaccinated “without fail, as soon as possible” during his traditional annual press conference, which is held this year virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the covid-19 pandemic has caused a “sea of ​​problems”, which Russia – he said – “faced with dignity”.

“Partly, perhaps, better than in other countries which are rightly proud of their economy and the development of their social services and health systems,” added the Russian president.

He stressed that “in the world there was no prepared health system” to deal with the novel coronavirus pandemic and that the Russian system “was more efficient than those of other countries”.

To date, 49,151 people have died from covid-19 in Russia and the country, with a total of more than 2.7 million positive for the coronavirus, ranks fourth in the world in number of infections behind the United States. United and India and Brazil.

The first to arrive in Argentina

The Sputnik V vaccine will be the first to arrive in Argentina, as Alberto Fernández himself confirmed last week. The idea is that before the end of the year 600,000 doses will arrive in the country, which will serve to vaccinate 300,000 people.

The contract (whose signature was known on December 10) provides that in addition to the 600,000 doses that would arrive this month, between January and February, 20 million additional doses will arrive (that is to say to immunize 10 million people) and a preference for Argentina to be able to immunize an additional 5 million people in March.

The official position is that it was important to close this acquisition in case the rest of the vaccines they also have contracts with delay their arrival.

With information from EFE.

JPE