COVID-19 vaccinations started in Russia on Saturday for doctors, teachers and social workers at high-risk. Vaccinations began in Moscow, state-run Tass news agency reported, citing a city's coronavirus monitoring centre statement.
"Coronavirus vaccination began today at 70 city public health centres for those from major at-risk groups, who contact large numbers of people at work," the statement said. "Those include medical, educational and social workers."
The Sputnik V vaccine is being introduced to these groups with certain restrictions outlined on the city's website, where people ages 18-60 attached to a Moscow clinic can sign up for vaccination if they meet requirements.
Among the restrictions, the vaccine is not available for anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone who has chronic diseases, anyone in a clinical trial, or anyone sick with acute respiratory viral infection two weeks before or during vaccination.
"We work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week," Moscow Hospital 68 chief doctor Dr. Natalya Nikolaevna Kuzenkova told CNN regarding the vaccination process.
Russian scientists developed the vaccine, which has not completed Phase 3 of human trials, according to CNN.
Meanwhile, Russia recorded 28,782 new coronavirus cases Saturday, according to the country's coronavirus response centre.
Since the pandemic began, Russia has reported over 2.4 million cases and 42,338 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University global tracker.