Kremlin Says No Decisions Made on Mandatory Vaccination Against COVID-19 in Russia

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian authorities have not yet decided to introduce mandatory vaccination of the population against COVID-19, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

"So far, no decisions have been made on this matter. We are watching how the situation is developing. You see the figures, they change every day. The figures, especially the one from today, are not yet a cause for optimism, so we are watching," Peskov told journalists when asked about the possibility of mandatory vaccinations in Russia.

He denied reports that the government is eyeing a restart to the campaign to encourage people to get vaccinated, arguing that the current campaign is still underway.

"This information is not true. There is no restart, this information is completely incorrect. An information campaign is like riding a bike. Especially when it comes to vaccination, especially taking into account the specific approach of compatriots to the topic of vaccination. This is a constant campaign that should be conducted and is conducted on an ongoing basis in different segments, in traditional and new media. There is no restart and cannot be," Peskov said.

He also noted that the rate of vaccination against COVID-19 in Russia significantly accelerated.

"I want to hope that this trend will not weaken with the end of the non-working days", the spokesman added.

According to Peskov, the Russian authorities are conducting a campaign to stimulate the vaccination, but until the necessary indicators are reached, the government will not be satisfied with its results.

On Thursday, Russia registered a new single-day record of 40,096 COVID-19 cases, up from 36,582 the day before, bringing the cumulative total to 8,392,697.