Covid-19 morbidity on decline in Russia - Rospotrebnadzor head

MOSCOW. Dec 28 (Interfax) - Covid-19 morbidity has been on the decline for two consecutive weeks in Russia, while the Covid-19 and flu situation is manageable and does not require additional measures, head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) Anna Popova said.

"We have been observing a decline for two consecutive weeks. The week-on-week decline stands at 7.3%, which means there is a downward trend," Popova said in an interview with the Rossiya 24 television channel (VGTRK) on Wednesday.

Covid-19 "still exists and occupies its own niche among seasonal infections. It will be so unless serious mutations occur, since every new surge is caused by the emergence of highly active genetic variants, such as Omicron or Delta. We are not seeing this now. This is why, an uptick is more or less insignificant to us," Popova said.

"There is no need for any extraordinary measures, we are prepared and we know what to do. [...] Numerous measures are in place, which is a recognition of the fact that we are managing the epidemiological situation," she said.

It is still necessary to get vaccinated for Covid-19, Popova said. Covid-19 vaccination guidelines will be released in Russia by spring, as it becomes "a seasonal story," she said.