Health officials in Russia have asked people not to consume spirits and alcohol for two months after receiving Covid-19 vaccine shots, New York Post reported.
The official maintained that vaccine recipients have to be cautious as the Sputnik V vaccine takes around 42 days to show its effectiveness.
Anna Popova, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s consumer safety watchdog, suggested people to avoid alcohol during this span. “It’s a strain on the body. If we want to stay healthy and have a strong immune response, don't drink alcohol,” Popova said, as cited in the New York Post report.
Tatiana Golikova, Russian Deputy Prime Minister said to TASS News Agency, “Russians will have to refrain from visiting crowded places, wear face masks, use sanitizers, minimize contacts and refrain from drinking alcohol or taking immunosuppressant drugs.”
Meanwhile, Russian health officials also claimed that Sputnik V is 90 per cent effective. However, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin refused to take the vaccine.
According to the World Health Organisation estimates, Russia is the fourth-largest consumer of alcohol per person in the world. The average Russian consumes 15.1 liters of alcohol a year.