Getting immunized in Europe: where do Russians get vaccinated against coronavirus and how much does it cost

Many states require a document with WHO-recognized vaccines.

Yulia Suntsova

Vaccine tourism is gaining momentum. The authorities of European countries are ready to render such "humanitarian aid" to foreign citizens, including Russians. The world is gradually opening up for those who need to move around their studies, work, visit relatives or undergo medical treatment abroad. Yes, and travel, what a sin to hide.

In some cases, the European vaccine makes it possible to bypass quarantine and immediately start moving around the country.

Four vaccines have been approved for EU countries today: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen. In the United States, since November, it was planned to let foreigners vaccinated by the American FDA regulator Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen, as well as drugs not yet approved in the country, but recommended by WHO, including the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca, its Indian counterpart Covishield and the Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac.

Croatia became the most popular center for vaccine pilgrimage for Russians

The overwhelming demand is caused primarily by the fact that the state offers one-component Janssen to the American company Johnson & Johnson. This assumes a one-time departure and a short stay in the country. For one injection, a person receives a green pass (EU DCC), which allows him to freely move around the world.

Due to the opening of vaccination centers, the demand for flights to this Balkan country has grown 30 times.

Tour operators offer vaccine tours to Croatia with a direct flight from Moscow, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia.

In addition, the state offers Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca - but these vaccines already imply a double exit.

Vaccinations in Croatia are given to everyone who could get there, including children over 12 years old. The vaccine for foreigners is free. It can be obtained in many cities of the Istrian peninsula, Central and South Dalmatia, and in Zagreb and the surrounding area - even at fairs on a first come, first served basis. There are vaccination stations in every city in Croatia, in large settlements there are several of them.

Vaccine tours last from 2 to 5 days. The cost of the voucher starts from 28,000 rubles. These include airfare, hotel accommodation with meals, airport - hotel - airport transfers, assistance in booking vaccinations and medical insurance.

A Croatian certificate certifies that the vaccine has been received. The document also states the lot number, number of immunizations and number of doses for two-part vaccines. However, this is not an EU DCC green pass yet, in order to legalize it, you need to submit a request to the Croatian Epidemiological Service in 7-14 days (depending on the type of vaccine). In response, you will receive a pdf file with a QR code. Here in Croatia, Russians can get a booster with an mRNA vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna or the so-called. the third dose (a measure of support for those who did not fully develop the immune response after vaccination), comments the famous traveler Sergei Vinsky .

Serbia is in high demand among Russians traveling to get vaccinated

With comparable prices for vaccine tours, unlike Croatia, a Schengen visa is not required for flights here.

Foreign citizens are also offered free Pfizer, BioNTech, Astra Zeneca and Sinopharm (to choose from). To enter Serbia only a certificate with a negative PCR test.

"Over the past two weeks, sales of tours to Serbia for the purpose of vaccination have grown 10-15 times. People are not even embarrassed by the fact that they will have to come twice or stay for quite a long time, since the vaccine offered here is a two-component", - said Anna Filatovskaya, director of the advertising and PR department of the tour operator.

Another “mecca” for those looking for a European Covid certificate is Moldova. The Russians who have undergone immunization here are not overjoyed at the lack of bureaucratic obstacles. You don't need to make an appointment in advance, they don't ask for a visa, you can specify the hotel address as contacts, and the lucky ones even got vaccinated with an expired passport. Foreign visitors are offered a choice of Pfizer, Moderna, Janssen.

"I delivered one-piece Janssen in Moldova on November 5th. There is an official vaccination center in Chisinau, supported by the municipal authorities. I need a foreign certificate because I am planning trips to Europe and the USA. Immunization took place electronically. They issued a certificate with a personal QR-code in two languages - Moldavian and English", - Svetlana Prokshina (Novokuznetsk) told Novye Izvestia. - But yesterday the Moldovan certificate turned into a non-working one. The link from the QR-code now leads to a page with the inscription "the certificate is not valid". After Europe certified the Moldovan vaccine, it, so to speak, reached a new level and changed the coding. The main thing, of course, is not to go with the old model. But it is not difficult to reissue this certificate for those who have already managed to get vaccinated in Chisinau. You can independently apply for renewal through the government website - certificate-covid.gov.md, indicate the document number and date of birth, and you will be happy.

Tours to Germany for the vaccine are the most expensive

Organized vaccine tours are also offered to Germany. But they are the most expensive. The tourist pays for the flight, accommodation, translation services and the vaccination itself. On average, it goes under 70-75 thousand rubles per person.

However, independent foreign travelers, who were lucky enough to stay in covid times with a European visa or better - with a German residence permit, will not rejoice at the simplicity of obtaining a European covid certificate in this country. Only travel companies take money for the vaccination in Germany; in general, in these lands it is free for everyone.

They are vaccinated quickly, in one component and without quarantine restrictions.

'In April of this year I was vaccinated with both components of Sputnik, and in September I had to go to work in Germany. They put me in mandatory quarantine - the duration of 5 days, then you pass the PCR test, and if it is negative, then you are free. Since I often go there on business trips, and quarantine is a costly pleasure, Janssen put it. Vaccination station in the center of Düsseldorf, at the metro station. Small queue. Everyone is vaccinated free of charge - both German citizens and non-citizens. All you need to do is purchase for 2.5 euros a paper form of a vaccination certificate (in pharmacies I mpfungsbuch) - personal data are entered there", - Anton Malyavin told NI in the district office (Ulyanovsk).

The German doctor informed the patient about the possible side effects of Janssen, for example - cerebral thrombosis in young women in less than 1% of cases. In contrast, at the time, there was evidence that Janssen was 67% effective against the delta strain.

In October, there were changes in the organization of vaccination centers in Germany, after the optimization of supply routes, the executive functions were transferred to family doctors. Now it is not so easy for a foreigner without a German registration and insurance to get vaccinated.

"After October 19, I was recommended by Janssen to revaccine one of the mRNA vaccines. As I continue my working trips, I will now look for new opportunities. There remains a small gap in the centers of the Red Cross. They also write that there are still two immunoprophylaxis centers in Dusseldorf - at the main train station and at one of the metro stations, plus a city mobile center where a foreigner can still be vaccinated for free", - says Anton Malyavin.

Another country is ready to vaccinate Russians against coronavirus - this is the Czech Republic. They are vaccinated for symbolic money, and the stream is literally put on the rails. The main vaccination center for foreigners is open right at the central railway station.

Lawyer and entrepreneur Sergey Ross from Moscow was revaccinated by Janssen in Prague six months after Sputnik. The Czech certificate is valid in the countries of the European Union and the USA, and costs 850 kroons (2,777 rubles) for a foreigner.

- Now shaking hands on both sides of the border. In a literal, hygienic sense. Feeling as if I had been ill with covid in express mode - in 3 days. On the whole, I endured it without complications.

At least seven more countries are now ready to vaccinate Russians for free, but with quarantine restrictions and (or) somewhat greater organizational difficulties.

Armenia:

Vaccinated: AstraZeneca

Where: mobile points in Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Kapan

Conditions: without an appointment, but before vaccination in Armenia, you need to spend at least 10 days

Georgia:

Vaccinated by: AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Sinovac Biotech, Sinopharm

Where: medical centers in Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi

Conditions: without an appointment, but by the day of the first injection, you must stay in Georgia for at least 3 months

Greece:

Vaccinated by: AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer

Where: in hospitals across the country

Conditions: Schengen visa, in one of the KEP citizen service centers you need to personally obtain a temporary social security number AMKA (activation can take up to 21 days) and sign up for a vaccination

France:

Vaccinated: Johnson & Johnson, 7 days after the second injection Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca

Where: Red Cross tent in Paris, private clinics (for 40 euros)

Conditions:

You can get to France, which is closed for Russian tourists, through the open EU countries (Hungary, Croatia, Greece and Austria). Schengen visa. 4 weeks after vaccination with one-component Johnson & Johnson or 7 days after the second injection, Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca must apply for a certificate.

USA:

Vaccinated: Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer

Where: In pharmacies and shopping malls nationwide

Requirements: American visa, at vaccines.gov, you need to select the nearest vaccination site, make an appointment by phone and fill out an online form.

South Africa:

Vaccinated: Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer

Where: in medical institutions and specially equipped vaccination points throughout the country, regardless of citizenship and purpose of stay in South Africa.

Conditions: you need to register with the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS), provide your personal data, passport number, phone number, hotel or apartment address in South Africa. A personal notification is received via SMS with the address and time where the vaccination will be carried out for you.

In turn, the "unrecognized" Russian "Sputnik" outside Russia took in about 100 million people.

15% of people with average incomes in the US, Europe and China received the vaccine with doses of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light, said Kirill Dmitriyev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), on Bloomberg TV. There were noticeable disruptions in Sputnik's imports in the middle of this summer, when a new wave broke out in Russia, and it was necessary first of all to secure supplies within the country. By the end of August, foreign deliveries of Sputnik reached their previous levels.