The medical community in Russia has supported the Ministry of Health’s proposal to shift from mass vaccination against coronavirus to vaccines targeted at high-risk groups. COVID-19 incidence in Russia remains relatively low, yet there has been a modest uptick for the first time in six months, with infection numbers rising by about 2 percent in a week. At the same time, discussions about a potential new wave in the United States and parts of Europe have intensified, along with concerns about a highly mutated new strain. Reuters reports.
A mid-August survey by the distance medical education service Vrachu.ru found that the current rate of people diagnosed with COVID-19 in Russia is well below levels seen a year or six months ago, and the illness tends to be milder in those affected. The majority of doctors (about 73 percent) who believe mass vaccination is unnecessary in the current situation supported prioritizing vaccines for risk groups, with many saying the idea of broad vaccination no longer seems logical.
Nevertheless, roughly 14.4 percent of health professionals admitted lacking a clear stance on the issue, and about 12.6 percent of the roughly 2,500 survey participants favored continuing mass vaccination.
Since early July, six cases of infection with the new COVID-19 variant have been detected across four countries. Scientists are particularly attentive to BA.2.86, a variant distinguished by 36 mutations compared with the currently dominant XBB.1.5. While some experts warn about potential changes in transmissibility or severity, there is not yet reliable evidence indicating that BA.2.86 spreads faster or causes more serious illness.
In recent months, increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have been observed in Europe, Asia, and the United States, with many of these cases linked to earlier viral lineages. Experts note that BA.2.86 appears to arise from a branch of the coronavirus that differs from the variant that current vaccines were designed to target.
Earlier statements by a physician mentioned that certain health factors could influence disease risk, underscoring the ongoing conversation about prevention and public health strategies.