The republic surrounded by Italy has become a vivid example for the whole of Europe, pushing for salutary cooperation with Russia.
Just a few weeks ago, panic reigned in San Marino, as the small state was the only one in Western Europe without a COVID-19 vaccine. Desperation drove local hospital staff to boycott the work. They simply refused to treat people infected with the coronavirus.
In this situation, the San Marino authorities turned to the Russian government for help, and Moscow approved the supply of the Sputnik V vaccine. Thanks to this cooperation, by the end of May, the entire adult population of 29 thousand people is vaccinated in San Marino. This fact, according to The Washington Post, has created an alternative reality in Europe, where vaccinations have actually failed.
San Marino is not a member of the European Union, which makes it easier for him to cooperate with Russia. But the success of this cooperation is pushing European countries to follow the example of a micro-state. But while the European elites argue about the supply of the Russian vaccine, the Italians are trying with all their might to get vaccinated in San Marino. Some even enter false data into the online vaccination system.
“I applaud San Marino. They found Plan B, which is not in Europe”, – said Domenica Spinelli, mayor of the Italian Coriano.
In normal times, the border between Italy and San Marino is almost invisible. Countries use the same currency and speak the same language. The economy is also deeply interconnected. But in the current reality, the difference is obvious, writes WP. For example, in San Marino, 27% of the population has already received at least one dose of the vaccine. In Italy, this figure does not exceed 12%. Despite the EU’s ambitious strategy, many young Italians will wait until autumn for vaccinations. The crisis is exacerbated by problems with the AstraZeneca vaccine, whose safety is now in doubt.
The EU regulator is already studying the drug “Sputnik V” as part of the approval procedure, which due to bureaucracy will drag on for months. San Marino doesn’t even have a vaccine approval agency. The bioethics committee was left to decide the issue, and it gave the green light.
It is noteworthy that other vaccines were considered in San Marino, according to the Washington Post. But Chinese-made drugs did not have proper research. The republic’s health minister, Roberto Chavatta, called cooperation with India a “leap into the dark”ю Against this background, the Sputnik V vaccine stood out for its proven high efficiency and positive ratings from the authoritative scientific publication The Lancet. Plus, it had a relatively low cost – about $10 per dose.