MOSCOW (Reuters) – Some Russians took to social media on Friday to voice frustration after 300,000 doses of the country’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine were supplied to Argentina, arguing that more shots should be made available at home.
Though the vaccine is readily available in Moscow, relatively small batches have so far been delivered to many Russian regions as part of a mass inoculation programme, with several reporting receiving 2,000 doses or less so far.
Novgorod has received 600 doses for civilian use thus far, according to an official in the local government. Kaliningrad has received 400, according to the Interfax news agency.
“Better hurry to Argentina to get vaccinated then,” Alexander, a resident of Kaliningrad, said on Twitter.
The Samara region has received 2,751 doses of Sputnik V for civilian use, according to local officials, and a further 1,000 for members of the military based there.
“Awesome! 3,000 for Samara, while Argentina gets 300,000…” wrote another Twitter user, Maria.
The Russian health ministry did not respond to a request for comment on any regional shortages of vaccine doses.
Russia on Friday reported 29,018 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, including 7,315 in Moscow, taking the national total to 2,992,706 since the pandemic began.
Authorities said 563 had died in the last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll to 53,659.
Reuters
Photo – Police officers wearing protective face masks control the traffic at a seasonally decorated street with a large numbers for the upcoming year 2021 installed at the viewpoint at Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hills) park during the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in Moscow, Russia, 25 December 2020. Russians are preparing to celebrate New Year’s Eve on 31 December and Christmas which is observed on 07 January, according to the Russian Orthodox Julian calendar 13 days after Christmas on 25 December on the Gregorian calender. EPA-EFE/MAXIM SHIPENKOV
