Vaccine against coronavirus infection about to get to Tatarstan

It is expected in November, but only the risk group will be vaccinated

Russian State Duma deputy Ayrat Farrakhov, head of the Tatarstan office of Russia’s consumer rights protection watchdog Marina Patyashina and Vice Health Minister of the republic Vladimir Zhavoronkov said what would be done if a person with coronavirus infection would be detected at school, why it was compulsory to be vaccinated against flu, how long the mask regime will last and why Tatarstan’s experience in the fight against COVID-19 was in demand at a themed online meeting.

Tatarstan shares experience with the world community

The performance of the Tatarstan anti-COVID-19 quick response team has been recognised one of the best in the country, said Russian State Duma deputy Ayrat Farrakhov on 7 September. He added that a big international conference would take place in Moscow in October at which countries would be sharing the experience of fighting the pandemic. Moscow and Tatarstan obtained the right to give a speech on behalf of Russia.

“It is high praise of those managerial steps that were taken, first of all, to protect the citizens, secondly, to have the minimum influence of restrictive measures on our economy,” Farrakhov noted.

Critical number “3”

Head of the Tatarstan office of Russia’s consumer rights protection watchdog Marina Patyashina also evaluated the state of affairs regarding the coronavirus infection as stable. The incidence in Tatarstan doesn’t exceed 20-30 people a week. COVID-19 hospitals are closing, now patients who recovered from COVID-19 are discharged from Hospital No. 12, Hospital No. 16 is partially available for medical advice, Republican Clinical Hospital and War Veterans’ Hospital are operating as usual.

Holidaymakers who are back home are concerning the authorities the most — 42 “imported” cases of COVID-19 have been registered in the republic. While Patyashina says we shouldn’t be afraid that schools will become a hotbed of the infection. Most importantly, it is necessary to take the temperature and not let infected children and teachers contact others.

The head of the Tatarstan office explained what would be done if infected people were found in educational establishments. Here a lot will turn on circumstances. If the school can isolate the entire class, particularly provide it with a separate entrance and a room, the children will keep studying under doctors’ supervision. If three or more children fall ill, the class will switch to studying from home.

Patyashina insistently recommended teachers to give children classes with a mask on because if the teacher is ill, he can infect both the children and colleagues he contacted. She noted that the mask regime would stay at least till New Year, as a seasonal rise in cold-related diseases against which a mask is a means of effective protection (we should remind you that earlier the regional watchdog forecasted the mask regime would stay till spring 2021).

Only health workers will be vaccinated against coronavirus

There won’t be massive vaccination against COVID-19 this year. Though Russia’s Sputnik V will get to Tatarstan in November, only the risk group will be vaccinated, first of all, it is health workers.

According to Vice Health Minister of Tatarstan Vladimir Zhavoronkov, a regulative document that hasn’t been adopted yet will determine who else will be the on list.

He reminded the audience that the Russia vaccine was undergoing the third stage of clinical trials. While Farrakhov added that teachers, nursery teachers and journalists would also be added to the risk group.

2,3m people to get a flu vaccine

Despite the republic doesn’t wait for a high incidence in seasonal flu, all speakers recommended receiving a vaccine against flu. As this will not only ease the COVID-19 case if somebody contracts it but will also help avoid mixed infection — a dangerous disease that hasn’t been examined thoroughly yet.

It is planned to vaccinate 60% of the population of the republic, or over 2,3 million people. According to Zhavoronkov, the region has received over 241,500 doses of vaccines against the seasonal flu for children and over 530,800 for adults. The vaccination campaign will run in schools, polyclinics, in enterprises as well as at special points near metro stations and shopping malls to increase the coverage. Special brigades are even ready to vaccinate staff in their workplace if the number is 15 people.

The injection will be free for everybody. Marina Patyashina claimed that the Russian vaccine they had received was good and studied, this is why there is no sense in paying for a foreign analogue more. “I have my children vaccinated only with the Russian vaccine,” claimed the head of the republican watchdog. While deputy Farrakhov added that the fact that a lot of countries bought it proves the competitiveness of our medicine proves.

However, it was noted that the injection has contraindications — temperature, allergy to chicken protein and the coronavirus infection itself. This is why a person must be examined by a doctor before vaccination.

By Eleonora Rylova
Tatarstan