Alexander Gintsburg, Head of Gamaleya National Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology which developed Sputnik V, Russia's first vaccine against COVID-19, said there is no need to absolutely refrain from drinking alcohol when being vaccinated. However, people should avoid alcohol for three days after receiving a dose of the two-shot of Sputnik V.

Russia's coronavirus vaccination drive for high-risk volunteers started in Moscow recently despite Sputnik V still undergoing post-registration clinical trials for safety. “It's just about reasonable restriction of consumption until the body has formed its immune response to coronavirus infection,” news agency Interfax quoted him as saying.

“It’s a strain on the body. If we want to stay healthy and have a strong immune response, don't drink alcohol,” Anna Popova, the head of the national public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor Popova told local radio, according to The Moscow Times.

As per the estimate from the health officials, one lakh Russians have already received Sputnik V, including trial participants and members of the military. Meanwhile, Russia has the fourth-highest COVID-19 caseload of over 2.5 million in the world and the 10th-highest mortality count with 44,000 fatalities.