Enlarge image
Russia's President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg
Photo: Dmitri Lovetsky / dpa
Russia opens its borders to vaccination tourists.
Foreigners should in future be able to get the Sputnik corona vaccine in Russia for a fee, President Vladimir Putin announced during an economic conference in St. Petersburg.
He has already instructed the authorities to begin the appropriate preparations.
Foreigners have already had themselves vaccinated, but he has instructed the government to make the procedure official and allow visitors to Russia to be vaccinated, Putin said at the international economic forum in St. Petersburg.
In July vaccination tourism in Russia should officially start.
The demand from abroad is high, said Putin.
In the past, foreigners with a residence permit in Russia were able to get vaccinated.
Prices have yet to be set
This is now being expanded: "We are not only fully safeguarding our own requirements, but can also offer foreigners to come to Russia and be vaccinated," said Putin.
Vaccination is free for Russian citizens.
The government should now set the prices for foreigners.
At the same time, Putin once again complained about political propaganda abroad or bans against the Russian corona vaccine.
In Russia, only a comparatively small number of people have received one of the three vaccines developed in the country.
Many Russians shy away from vaccinating against the coronavirus because they do not trust the local vaccines.
Russia does not allow Western vaccines even in its own country - and hopes that its citizens will travel to the EU on tourist trips that the vaccine will be recognized there.
"Good results" compiled
The head of the Russian state direct investment fund, Kirill Dmitriev, said he expected Sputnik V to receive emergency approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization shortly.
The EMA, which had also visited production sites and warehouses in Russia and collected data, had "good results," said Dmitryev.
"There were no critical remarks."
It was said that Sputnik V is already registered in 66 countries.
The Russian Minister of Health Michail Muraschko also said in St. Petersburg that the EMA had not made any inquiries to Russia.
In the EU, the vaccine has so far only been approved in Hungary and Slovakia on the basis of national decisions.
"I am very, very optimistic"
Regarding the prospects of a WHO approval, the head of the organization responsible for Europe, Hans Kluge, said: "I am very, very optimistic." The renowned specialist magazine "The Lancet" has attested Sputnik V an effectiveness of 91.6 percent.
The Standing Vaccination Commission also describes the first known data as promising.
But there are also inconsistencies.
In the past, among others, the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) had campaigned for the Russian vaccine - and secured 2.5 million doses of Sputnik V in a preliminary contract for his federal state.
mrc / Reuters
