Vladimir Putin vaccinated: Russian President gets Covid-19 shot behind closed doors

No video or pictures of the vaccination course of had been instantly made accessible. Earlier, the Kremlin stated it might not be a public occasion, uncommon for a Russian chief who steadily poses for the cameras — sometimes shirtless.

When requested why the Russian chief will not be planning to indicate his vaccination course of for publicity, Peskov stated Putin does loads to promote getting vaccinated, including: “The President devotes a reasonably important a part of his working time to occasions, talks, conferences associated to vaccination, vaccine manufacturing, and so forth and so forth.

“As for vaccination below the cameras, he has by no means been a supporter [of it], he does not prefer it,” Peskov stated.

The Kremlin spokesman additionally stated the kind of vaccine used is not going to be revealed, however did say that it is going to be one of many three Russian vaccines which were accredited: Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona or CoviVac.

“We intentionally don’t say what sort of vaccine the president will take, all of the whereas noting that each one three Russian vaccines are completely dependable and efficient,” Peskov stated.

On Tuesday, social media websites had been brimming with mockery that the Russian chief might not have the vaccine in any respect, with jibes in regards to the Kremlin strongman being petrified of needles, and even anxious to cover a brand new tattoo.

Behind the banter, nonetheless, is an exasperation amongst some officers that Russia’s most outstanding determine — and one to whom many Russians search for steering — first appeared reluctant to get a jab, regardless of qualifying for vaccination since late December.

Now it appears Putin might have bungled a golden alternative to encourage hesitant Russians to get inoculated.

A current opinion ballot by the Levada Middle — an impartial, non-governmental polling and sociological analysis group — suggests solely round 30% of the nation’s inhabitants is in favor of being vaccinated.

Such excessive charges of vaccine hesitancy have been linked to a historic mistrust by Russians of their medical institution.

There’s additionally broad suspicion within the nation in regards to the efficacy of its three homegrown vaccines, one among which — Sputnik V — was developed at breakneck velocity.

In August, Sputnik V grew to become the primary accredited Covid-19 vaccine wherever on the planet.

Nonetheless, the variety of Russians thus far inoculated stays staggeringly low: fewer than 7 million have had no less than one jab out of a inhabitants near 146 million, based on newest official figures.

At the very least 9 Latin American international locations thus far have accredited utilization of the Sputnik V vaccine — Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Venezuela — and distribution of the vaccine has additionally begun in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Venezuela.

Globally, the vaccine has been accredited in no less than 56 international locations, together with European Union international locations corresponding to Hungary and Slovakia based on the Russian Direct Funding Fund (RDIF), which funded the vaccine manufacturing and is liable for promoting it globally.