Russian medical facilities will receive more than 17 million coronavirus vaccine doses in the first quarter of the year, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said Saturday.
"During this week, we have drawn up a preliminary vaccination plan for the first quarter of 2021, taking into account what [number of vaccine doses] will be supplied to medical facilities for use. That is 17 million [doses], and we predict that if everything goes without a hitch then, we will be able to bring about 20 million of our citizens into the process," Golikova told the Rossiya 1 channel.
The official also described the beginning of the country's vaccination campaign as "complicated days," and noted that thousands of active vaccination centers were set up across the country.
"When the president [of Russia Vladimir Putin] ordered to switch from large-scale to mass vaccination ... Russia had approximately 1,300 vaccination centers, now there are already 2,250," Golikova added.
The deputy prime minister went on to boast about 7.6 million vaccine doses that were already manufactured by Russia.
"I can say that we have already manufactured 7.6 million vaccine doses and 2.1 million have been shipped to the country's regions," Golikova stated, adding that the vaccination capacities will increase, including for low-populated and far-flung settlements.
Golikova then mentioned the possibility of permanent inclusion of COVID-19 vaccines into the immunization schedule.
Earlier in the month, Putin urged the government to launch vaccination against the coronavirus for all Russian citizens, whereas it was previously open to the most at-risk groups. (/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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