travel vaccine course for nurses

Disclaimer: This translation was last updated on August 2, 2022. For up-to-date content, please visit the English version of this page.

Disclaimer: The Spanish COVID-19 site is currently undergoing significant updates which may lead to a delay in translated content. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Training for Healthcare Professionals

Cross-cutting topics, search covid-19 trainings on train.

Find COVID-19 trainings on vaccination, infection control, self-care, and other topics via TRAIN. Note: Links to non-CDC courses do not constitute an endorsement by CDC. Only courses offered by CDC course providers have been verified and approved by CDC.

Varied formats:  COVID-19 Trainings on TRAIN

Learn COVID-19 Basics

Learn about COVID-19 vaccination, case investigation and contact tracing, healthcare infection control, and testing. Some courses in the plans offer free CE.

Varied formats: COVID-19 Training Plans

Review the Latest Science

Stay up to date with the latest COVID-19 science from CDC. Episodes cover vaccine effectiveness by vaccine type, long-term symptoms, mental health concerns, and more.

Podcasts:  MMWR Weekly COVID-19 Briefing

Vaccination

Covid-19 vaccine training: general overview of immunization best practices for healthcare providers.

Learn about COVID-19 Emergency Use Authorization and safety as well as vaccine storage, handling, administration, and reporting. Free CE.

Self-paced online course:  COVID-19 Vaccine Training

Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) COVID-19 Vaccine: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

Learn about the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and guidance from the manufacturer. Free CE.

Self-paced online course: Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) COVID-19 Vaccine

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

Learn about the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Moderna, Inc., based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and guidance from the manufacturer. Free CE.

Self-paced online course:  Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (Johnson & Johnson): What Healthcare Professionals Need to Know

Learn about the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and guidance from the manufacturer. Free CE.

Self-paced online course:  Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine

Pregnant During a Pandemic: What the Data Says about COVID-19 and the Vaccine

Learn what we know about the disease and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 during pregnancy.

Webinar: Pregnant During a Pandemic

COVID-19 Vaccination and Children: Answering Parents’ Questions

Learn how to talk to families about vaccinating children against COVID-19.

Webinar: COVID-19 Vaccination and Children

Preventive Medicine Grand Rounds: Vaccine Confidence

Learn ways to increase vaccine confidence among healthcare professionals and how two counties launched COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Free CE.

Webinar: Vaccine Confidence

COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series

Learn about COVID-19 vaccination topics. Webinars cover how to become a vaccination provider, host a vaccination clinic, and administer more than one vaccine on the same day. Other topics include vaccine safety, vaccine storage and transport, and best practices to prevent vaccine administration errors. Free CE.

Webinars:  COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series

Clinical Care and Infection Control

Clinician outreach and communication activity (coca) calls.

Learn the latest clinical information and guidance about COVID-19. Recent COCA Calls cover COVID-19 booster vaccines, COVID-19 and flu vaccination, and post-COVID conditions. Some COCA Calls offer free CE.

Webinars:  Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Calls

Project Firstline Inside Infection Control Series

Learn about basic infection control practices to prevent COVID-19. Topics include injection safety, personal protective equipment (PPE), environmental cleaning, and hand hygiene. Free CE.

Videos:  Project Firstline Inside Infection Control Series

COVID-19 Prevention in Long-Term Care Facilities

Learn how to protect nursing home and long-term care facility residents from COVID-19.

Webinars: COVID-19 Prevention in Long-Term Care Facilities

Nursing Home Infection Preventionist Training Course

Learn best practices for infection prevention and control in nursing homes. Free CE.

Self-paced online course: Nursing Home Infection Preventionist Training Course

Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs)

Application and integration of npis into pre-pandemic influenza planning, preparedness, and response.

Learn about NPIs to help slow the spread of pandemic flu. Some of the pandemic flu NPI training is applicable to COVID-19. Free CE.

Self-paced online course: Application and Integration of NPIs into Pre-Pandemic Influenza Planning, Preparedness, and Response

The Science of Social Distancing: Part 1

Learn about the science on social distancing, strategies to support it, and how findings from past pandemics — as well as the current one — can shape responses today.

Webinar: The Science of Social Distancing: Part 1

The Science of Social Distancing: Part 2

Learn more about social distancing. Topics include benefit-risk analysis of social/physical distancing strategies, including for vulnerable populations; strategies for mitigating mental health impacts; and what science is available to guide eventual relaxation of measures.

Webinar: The Science of Social Distancing: Part 2

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Crisis and emergency risk communication.

Learn how to communicate in a public health emergency. Topics include the psychology of a crisis, messages and audiences, and community engagement. Free CE.

Webinar: Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication

Public Health Emergency Law Online Training

Learn how to make informed legal decisions related to emergency preparedness and response.

Self-paced online course: Public Health Emergency Law Online Training

Law and Epidemic Emergency Preparedness (LEEP)

Learn about legal issues during epidemics and ways to reduce barriers to an effective response.

Self-paced online course:  Law and Epidemic Emergency Preparedness (LEEP)

National Incident Management System (NIMS)

Learn about NIMS, the Incident Command System (ICS), and National Response Framework.

Self-paced online course: National Incident Management System (NIMS)

Additional Topics

Health equity.

Learn about the importance of addressing social determinants of health and health disparities related to COVID-19.

Webinar: Advancing Health Equity

Learn tools to manage stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout.

Webinars: Self-Care Modules

Nurses on Shift Work and Long Hours

Learn ways to reduce workplace fatigue and stay healthy. Free CE.

Self-paced online course:  Nurses on Shift Work and Long Hours

Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses

Learn about the scope and nature of violence in the healthcare setting. Free CE.

Self-paced online course: Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses

COVID-19 in Animals

Learn about COVID-19 in animals and other One Health topics related to the pandemic. Free CE.

Webinars: COVID-19 in Animals

External Trainings

• Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) COVID-19 Clinician and Educator Resources
• American Medical Association (AMA) COVID-19 Resource Center
• American Nurses Association (ANA) COVID-19 Education
• American Public Health Association (APHA)/National Academy of Medicine COVID-19 Conversations
• Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) TRACIE COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce Training Resources
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) Monthly Conversations for Public Health Leaders in the Era of COVID-19
• Indian Health Service (IHS) COVID-19 Webinars
• National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) COVID-19 Response, Recovery, Resilience
• Public Health Institute (PHI) COVID-19 Resources
• Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub) Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness Workforce Resources
• World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Course Series

To receive email updates about COVID-19, enter your email address:

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

This site is intended for health professionals only

Read the latest issue online A manifesto for general practice nursing in 2024

Overview of travel health and vaccines

See how our symptom tool can help you make better sense of patient presentations Click here to search a symptom

Receive the latest news, clinical updates and case studies straight to your inbox.

SIGN UP TODAY

Related articles

In the UK, specialist travel health clinics and pharmacists are increasingly offering pre-travel advice and vaccination, but the majority of patients still seek these services in primary care, from the practice nurse

Most Popular

1 Mythbuster: ‘Her ankles are very swollen – she needs water tablets’

2 Measles cases in London now in line with West Midlands

3 Supporting hypertension self-care: a nurse’s perspective

4 Diabetes drug shows potential in treating Parkinson’s disease

Sign up for news alerts Subscribe to Nursing in Practice newsletters to ensure you receive the news as it happens in your inbox.

Join the discussion and be a part of Nursing in Practice

Sharpen your skills and further your career with Nursing in Practice

• Nursing in Practice 365
• Nursing in Practice Reference

Other links

•   Contact Us
•   Terms and conditions
•   Privacy Policy
•   Yellow Card reporting

Get the Nursing in Practice free app

Get our free diagnosis symptom tool

Other Cogora brands

• Pulse Today
• Hospital Healthcare Europe
• The Pharmacist
• Management In Practice
• Healthcare Leader
• Hospital Pharmacy Europe

© Cogora 2024 Cogora Limited. 1 Giltspur Street, London EC1A 9DD Registered in the United Kingdom. Reg. No. 2147432

Nursing in Practice newsletters

Sign up today to receive the latest news, business insight, blogs and case studies via newsletters as it happens.

Ask a Nurse: What Vaccines Are Needed To Travel?

In our Ask a Nurse series, experienced nurses provide an insider look at the nursing profession by answering your questions about nursing careers, degrees, and resources.

Question: As more people begin to travel again (domestically and abroad), what are some important vaccines travelers should be up to date on?

Answer: This is a great question that many people don’t ask! As a nurse practitioner who has provided numerous travel health visits over the past six years, I would say that many people are unaware of the need to check vaccination status before international travel, much less domestic travel.

Before COVID-19, it was important for people to remain up to date on all routine vaccines, plus their flu shots. In the age of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all domestic travelers delay travel until they are fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccinations Protect You While Traveling Domestically

Traveling can increase your chances of becoming sick due to various factors like stress, fatigue, decreased sleep, and spending time in high-density spaces like planes, trains, shuttles, and crowded waiting areas. Additionally, the low humidity in planes has been shown to increase the chances of getting sick.

The COVID-19 vaccine is the main way to ensure protection while traveling during the pandemic. If one chooses not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, they will have to follow the current CDC recommendations for unvaccinated people : Get tested 1-3 days before travel, test 3-5 days after travel, and complete a full seven-day quarantine after travel.

Vaccines Vary Depending on Where You Travel Domestically

While the United States includes territories that are considered domestic travel, the same international vaccine recommendations apply. Whenever someone is traveling, the provider will look up the recommended vaccines for that region.

The most common place to look up recommended vaccines is the CDC’s travel health page . The specific recommendations will vary depending on the patient’s precise destination and the risks based on individual activities.

Traveling Abroad Requires More Vaccine Considerations

Travelers should remain up to date on all routine vaccinations, including:

• Tdap: Tdap is a combination vaccine protecting individuals from three life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
• Influenza: Seasonal vaccines protect against multiple flu viruses.
• Varicella (chickenpox): The CDC recommends two doses of the vaccine for anyone who has not had chickenpox and has never been vaccinated.
• Polio: Inactivated polio vaccine protects against polio.
• MMR: This combo vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles).
• Pneumococcal: This vaccine prevents some cases of pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis.
• Meningococcal: Recipients avoid infection by Neisseria meningitidis, which decreases cases of meningitis and sepsis.
• Hepatitis A: Patients can receive a vaccine that protects just against hepatitis A or a combination vaccine for protection against hepatitis A and B.
• Hepatitis B: This vaccine prevents severe liver disease resulting from the untreated hepatitis B virus.

Vaccines Vary Depending on Where You Travel Abroad

In addition to routine vaccines, vaccine recommendations vary by region. Common travel vaccines may include:

• Yellow fever
• Japanese encephalitis
• Meningococcal

Vaccination Timing Matters When Traveling Abroad

Timing the vaccine is just as important as the vaccine itself. Without sufficient time for it to take effect and build immunity, the vaccine could be useless. Travelers should consult healthcare professionals months in advance, if possible, regarding international travel vaccines.

Also, some of these vaccines may be difficult to come by — travel vaccines are not always kept in traditional offices.

Is It Mandated to Be Vaccinated Before Traveling?

The current administration stated it would not make a mandate for COVID-19 vaccination. However, if the United States made healthcare more accessible, we could do a mandate similar to healthcare workers getting the flu shot or hepatitis B vaccine.

Mandatory vaccinations for work, school, and travel aren’t unprecedented — they’re actually commonplace.

• A meningococcal vaccine is required for college students.
• Travelers on Hajj or Umrah must show proof of meningococcal vaccination to gain entry into Saudi Arabia.
• Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination before entry.
• The U.S. requires all people seeking permanent residence to receive all of the CDC-recommended routine vaccinations that have outbreak potential, along with seasonal flu shots.

Will the COVID-19 Pandemic Result in Stricter Vaccine Requirements to Travel?

I think that, as the vaccines become readily available, there will be fewer excuses not to get them. It’s difficult to mandate something that people may have limited access to. As vaccines become more available, I think we’ll see more places mandate it or provide more freedoms to vaccinated individuals and restrictions on the unvaccinated.

I imagine we will continue to see restrictions on unvaccinated individuals (such as preflight and postflight testing, quarantine, and masking) and more freedoms for vaccinated individuals. Also, I imagine this will be determined by the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. If we see spikes or waves of new infections or more resistant strains, I imagine that would accelerate or broaden any potential vaccination mandate.

Regarding airline industry plans for travel mandates… the International Air Transport Association remains against a vaccine mandate for various reasons.

I know the pandemic has negatively affected the airline industry, and enforcing a universal vaccine mandate would continue to negatively affect that industry. So any future mandates, whether related to the vaccine or public health measures, need to be realistic and nondiscriminatory.

Unequal Access to Healthcare Affects Vaccination Rates

Obtaining vaccines, in general, can be difficult in the United States for some people. I’ve had countless encounters with people trying to get basic, routine vaccines who cannot get them due to insufficient money, lack of transportation, no insurance, local availability, etc.

There needs to be a balance between public safety and imposing significant burdens on people. I don’t think we are at the point where we can expect this of people yet.

Again, it goes back to the balance between public health safety and burdensome policies. In general, I can say from personal experience that if routine vaccines were free to everyone and readily available, we would have far more Americans vaccinated.

We have a large income inequality in the U.S., which directly affects access to health insurance and healthcare . Therefore, restrictions or mandates that require access to healthcare are inherently discriminatory. The way the U.S. delivers healthcare makes things way more complicated than they need to be.

• When traveling domestically , specific vaccination recommendations will vary depending on the precise city/region.
• When traveling abroad , review specific vaccine recommendations to ensure you’re protected.
• Timing matters. Travelers should consult a healthcare professional months in advance, if possible, regarding international travel vaccines.
• Vaccine mandates are common, but the COVID-19 vaccine is not currently mandated for travel by the administration.
• Overall, unequal access to healthcare affects vaccine rates.

Written by:

Sara Hunt, DNP, PHN, FNP-C

Sara Hunt , DNP, is a doctoral-level, board-certified family nurse practitioner, licensed public health nurse, and professional medical writer in northern California. She has worked as adjunct faculty in nursing and health policy and served as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Spring 2015 Health Policy Fellow in Washington D.C. Hunt has worked for six years in retail health and has extensive experience in the skincare and aesthetics industry.

Instagram: @Dr.SaraHuntDNP

Disease Prevention and Travel Health Services

Travel health – online training now available, registration fees:.

• Register here
• $100.00 + GST (pharmacist has completed Low-Risk Traveller/Destination Travel Health Training)
• Contact USask CPE to register

Do You Know?

• How and when to direct patients to public health or to an ISTM certified practitioner?
• How to manage a patient with a chronic disease who is traveling abroad?
• When to prescribe for traveler’s diarrhea?

USask CPE training will help you navigate vaccine and travel health prescribing.

Guideline and Implementation Training

This training is strongly recommended before the implementation of vaccine prescribing and provision of travel health services in your practice.

This USask CPE training will focus on the process for implementing vaccine prescribing or travel health services. The training will be presented by Certified Travel Health pharmacists in SK and USask CPE/medSask. The medSask prescribing guidelines and forms are less detailed, but more complex then previous minor ailments guidelines. This training will also help with understanding the public vs private systems of vaccine immunization.

We will not be covering disease or vaccine specific therapeutics. You will gain that knowledge for travel health by taking one of the two recommended online Travel Health Educator courses listed below.

In order to provide travel health services for medium and high risk patients , you will require an ISTM Certified Travel Health designation.

• Mary Fraser, Continuing Professional Development for Pharmacy Professionals
• Kristjana Gudmundson, Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan, ISTM Certified
• Amy Damm & Sara Storle, ISTM Certified Travel Health Consultants
• Dr. Tania Diener, Chief Medical Health Officer (MHO)

*The Travel Health Educator online course  is not a pre-requisite for the USask CPE Guideline and Implementation Training, but you will gain more from the USask CPE training if you have completed it.

USask CPE  will issue a statement of completion once the Travel Health Educator Online Course and USask CPE Training are both complete.

USask CPE Training Learning Outcomes

• Explain stakeholder involvement and interpret regulatory issues surrounding Public Health, physicians, client, and pharmacist’s roles and responsibilities for domestic vaccine-preventable disease immunizations
• Assess clients, make recommendations, and prescribe immunizations for domestic vaccine-preventable disease
• Document according to medSask guidelines for domestic vaccine-preventable disease immunization.
• Manage and document adverse effects of immunization according to Saskatchewan Public Health and Health Canada policies and procedures
• Discuss re-imbursement for prescribing and administering domestic vaccine-preventable disease immunizations

Low-Risk Traveller/Destination Travel Health Training

• Assess clients, make recommendations, and prescribe immunizations and medications for low risk travel
• Educate patients about disease prevention and health maintenance resources and provide supplementary information (e.g. handouts, apps)
• Document according to medSask guidelines low-risk travel prescribing
• Develop travel health operational policies for the pharmacy

  Register here

  Moderate- to High-Risk Travel Health Training

• Explain informed consent to clients for prescribing and providing medium to high risk travel vaccines
• Evaluate resources (including medSask guidelines) and provincial and national immunization schedules to conduct client assessment and prescribe vaccines for medium to high risk travel vaccines
• Refer eligible clients to Public Health
• Identify and refer “special-cases” clients to nurse practitioner or family physician
• Conduct post-travel assessment, follow-up, and documentation when appropriate
• Educate patients about disease prevention and health maintenance resources and provide supplementary information (e.g. handouts, apps) for high-risk travel destinations and/or clients.
• Construct pharmacy documentation policies according to SCPP guidelines for medium to high risk travel related immunizations and physician/Public Health notification.
• Conduct an operational needs assessment to set up a pharmacy travel health practice.
• Review advanced travel based cases with chief Medical Health Officer (MHO) Dr. Tania Diener.

Contact  USask CPE  to register

Vaccine administration refresher course.

Do you want to take a refresher course on vaccine administration?  Contact USask CPE  to register for a comprehensive, competency-based training on vaccine administration .   Registration fee is $200.

High-Risk Travel Health and ISTM Certification

Only pharmacists who have been granted a certificate in travel health by the international society of travel medicine (istm) may prescribe travel related vaccines and medications for moderate to high risk clients, activities and destinations. the istm certificate in travel health™ is currently the only advanced travel health certification approved by the saskatchewan college of pharmacy professionals (scpp) allowing pharmacist prescribing for moderate to high risk travel.  , to receive the istm certificate in travel health™, candidates must initially pass the certificate of knowledge™ examination which is offered on an annual basis in conjunction with the conference of the international society of travel medicine (cistm). the istm welcomes applications from all qualified professionals who provide travel medicine-related services on a full- or part-time basis. the exam is open to all licensed travel medicine professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists and others., for more information about istm certificate in travel health™ and to register to write the exam, please click here ..

Training and Continuing Education Online (TCEO)

Immunization you call the shots-module sixteen-vaccines for children program-2022 (web based).

Course Summary

This module is the 16th in the series and focuses on the Vaccines for Children program.

Physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, DoD paraprofessionals, pharmacists, health educators and their colleagues who either administer vaccines or set policy for their offices, clinics, communicable disease, or infection control programs. Both private and public healthcare providers, including pediatricians, family practice specialists, residents, medical assistants, and medical and nursing students.

Internet connection and computer

Participants should have a basic educational background in science including general knowledge in the subject areas of biology, immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this Enduring material   activity for a maximum of 1    AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1    AAPA Category 1 CME credits . Approval is valid until 12/31/22 . PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this activity for   1 nursing contact hours.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEU's for this program.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a pre-approved provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) recertification credits and is authorized to offer 1 CPH recertification credits for this program.

Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to  1   total Category I continuing education contact hours. Maximum advanced level continuing education contact hours available are 1. Continuing Competency credits available are  1.   CDC provider number 98614 .

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designated this Knowledge event for pharmacists to receive 0.1 CEUs in pharmacy education. The Universal Activity Number is JA-4008229-0000-21-248-H06-P .

• Page last reviewed: 10/2/2023
• Page last updated: 10/2/2023
• Public Health Infrastructure Center Division of Workforce Development

You are about to be logged out due to inactivity.

Click OK to stay logged in.

• This warning banner provides privacy and security notices consistent with applicable federal laws, directives, and other federal guidance for accessing this Government system, which includes (1) this computer network, (2) all computers connected to this network, and (3) all devices and storage media attached to this network or to a computer on this network.
• This system is provided for Government-authorized use only.
• Unauthorized or improper use of this system is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action and/or civil and criminal penalties.
• Personal use of social media and networking sites on this system is limited as to not interfere with official work duties and is subject to monitoring.
• The Government may monitor, record, and audit your system usage, including usage of personal devices and email systems for official duties or to conduct HHS business. Therefore, you have no reasonable expectation of privacy regarding any communication or data transiting or stored on this system. At any time, and for any lawful Government purpose, the government may monitor, intercept, and search and seize any communication or data transiting or stored on this system.
• Any communication or data transiting or stored on this system may be disclosed or used for any lawful Government purpose.

Countries making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory

• Medium Text

Sign up here.

Compiled by Paulina Cwikowska, Dagmarah Mackos and Oben Mumcuoglu; editing by Milla Nissi, Steve Orlofsky, Joe Bavier and Nick Macfie

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

World Chevron

Fresh chaos, arrests on US college campuses as police flatten camp at UCLA

Police forcibly removed scores of defiant pro-Palestinian protesters at several colleges on Thursday, including taking down an encampment at UCLA in a jarring scene that underscored the heightened chaos that has erupted at universities this week.

New Zealand said on Saturday that its Antarctic agency signed a memorandum of understanding with Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute to foster cooperation between the two polar science bodies, amid China's growing presence in Antarctica.

Vaccinating Moscow

Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac) is one of three vaccines now available domestically to the Russian public. 

Haley Bader, REECA A.M. ’20, reports on incentives and barriers to fighting COVID-19 in the Russian capital.

Vaccinated several months after its release , Russian President Vladimir Putin likened the efficacy of Sputnik V to one of the deadliest weapons of the 20 th century: “ Simple and reliable, like a Kalashnikov assault rifle .”

But even Putin’s endorsement has not been sufficient to encourage wider vaccination in Russia. In April, the Levada Center polled Russians to determine attitudes toward vaccination, and found that “62 percent did not intend to get a Russian-made vaccine, all that is available in Russia .”

Some wanted to wait to see how their friends fared first; others feared side effects. Since at least September, the rate of those fully vaccinated in Russia has stalled at approximately 35% of the population, according to Our World in Data .

The Sputnik V vaccine was released before any other COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020 . While Russia did not complete clinical trials before its release, the British scientific journal Nature reported in July 2021 that evidence suggests Sputnik V is both safe and effective.

On June 8, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin required that the city’s residents present a QR Code affirming vaccination, a negative PCR test, or recent recovery from Coronavirus when dining out. Sobyanin wrote to Moscow citizens on June 16, emphasizing that vaccination is not simply a “personal matter,” but an effort to break the “chain for the distribution of a dangerous virus.”

Moscow’s Push to Vaccinate

Moscow, with over 20 million residents in the metropolitan area, has flooded public spaces with vaccination centers. Free vaccines are in government buildings and all the city’s clinics, said Anton Beketov, a 27-year-old programmer who lives in Moscow.

The Moscow government has used incentives to get people vaccinated. In June , Sobyanin announced that residents in Moscow city limits would be entered into a raffle for a free car if vaccinated between June 14 and July 11. The Governor of Moscow Oblast Andrei Vorobyov declared that Russians vaccinated between June 15 and 25 would be eligible to win an apartment.

Public advertisements are another aspect of the city’s vaccination push. Anton Zagrivin, a 22-year-old student of mathematics in Moscow, explained that vaccination is promoted on audio systems in Moscow’s metro, streets, and business centers with messages such as “You need to get vaccinated, it is necessary, it will save millions of lives…”

In a report from Vashi Novosti , one Russian described waiting in line at the grocery store and being bombarded with an interminable, looping 15-second explanation of why one should be vaccinated.

While some campaign messages are neutral, others are shocking. There are massive banners across Moscow that Zagrivin considers “radical.” “Enough with being afraid, get vaccinated!” In Russian, he explained, the message “was directly addressed” to the citizen, constructed in a way that was “personal” rather than using formal language.

Nadia Volovich, a 26-year-old Moscow resident who works as a product manager, found vaccination advertisements to be extreme. One sign asked, “How many people should die for you to get vaccinated?”

COVID-19 vaccination signs and advertising in GUM department store (Moscow, Russia). The capital is flooded with vaccination centers.

Not up to Code

After just over a month, Sobyanin scrapped QR code controls in late July.

According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , the government rescinded the measures in part due to technology failures, and also likely because the new requirements prompted some Russians, not eager to leave jobs or forfeit leisure activities, to seek false vaccine records on the black market .

However, Anton Beketov believes the Moscow QR Code requirements were used to encourage mass and fast vaccination. He found the move to cancel the requirements “rather ironic.” The measure lasted just long enough for some residents to get vaccinated with a first dose so they could go sit in cafes or restaurants but did not necessarily leave enough time to encourage people to get the second shot, Beketov said. Sputnik V, for example, needs at least three weeks between doses.

Similar to Beketov, Anton Zagrivin was confused when Sobyanin retracted QR code requirements and believes it happened too quickly.

While people may not have wanted a shot or believed in its efficacy, Zagrivin said, they went anyway to ensure they could continue living a less restricted life in the city. Once the Moscow government canceled the QR code requirement, however, many people threw up their hands: “Well, what to do? That’s it. We’ve defeated the Coronavirus…”

The QR code reversal and subsequent reactions represent a greater problem across Russia: people simply do not want to be vaccinated.

The Vaccine

There are currently two other Russian vaccines available to the public, CoviVak and EpiVak, both created with technologies different from Sputnik V. Only Russian-made vaccinations are registered and being administered in the Federation, but Russia’s are not approved by the World Health Organization or European Union .

Beketov explained that there were Telegram channels that posted the numbers of certain types of vaccines in clinics across Moscow so individuals could choose which they would receive. Beketov does not know many people who are confident in EpiVac but confirmed that many others have been interested in receiving CoviVak.

Usually, those who want CoviVak are older, he said. Some believe that they might experience fewer negative side effects than with Sputnik V, and they also think it was created with better technology because “they could spend more time [developing] it.”

Volovich knows some people who chose the one that “doesn’t work” with the logic that “it will get me the QR code, and it is better than getting Sputnik, which works, because if it doesn’t work it won’t do anything to me.”

The Influence of Information

Vaccination hesitancy is in part an issue of distrust. Russian citizens have been bombarded with conflicting messages about Western and Eastern jabs, and this has led them to questionable sources in their search for reliable information.

In July, Russian television personality Vasilisa Volodina, host of the show “Let’s Get Married!” on Russia’s Channel One, began uploading recommendations to her Instagram account for when people of certain birthdates should be vaccinated. After she was barraged with requests for more guidance, Volodina began offering personalized vaccination charts that might help people avoid negative side effects of the vaccines.

Nadia Volovich noted that one reason Russians lack trust in the government’s COVID-19 response is because it has a history of presenting unreliable information to the public. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , the Russian government may have created further vaccine controversy through information campaigns that doubted Western-made shots. "Russian   disparagement of other vaccines… has enhanced overall skepticism toward vaccination in general, with Russians often expressing hesitancy to receive any shot, not just Sputnik V,” the think tank reported.

On June 18, Russian publication Novaya Gazeta reported that people have asked to have one vaccine, but then are unknowingly given another. Beketov said it was “wild to hear” that a friend of his father received a first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine but was given EpiVak for his second shot without his consent. “I was worried,” he said.

When such stories make it through the rumor mill, word moves quickly—another barrier to vaccination.

Where to from Here?

Moscow authorities gave a vaccination push another go in October, offering pensioners 10,000 Rubles (approximately $140 USD) to get two doses by the end of the year. Elderly Muscovites are also eligible for the cash payout if they get a booster shot, and all will still receive gift sets that were offered previously. However, while this targets a vital group, a campaign like this has little potential to go much further with the population.

Volovich believes that Russian vaccines offered now are still too shrouded in doubt for many people to opt into non-compulsory vaccination, though there is hope that introducing Western options will increase rates.

Because Sputnik V is still not registered with the World Health Organization, which limits mobility for those with the Russian shot, the population may be more likely to accept a Western vaccine so they can travel outside of their country. By October, hundreds of Russians had flocked to Serbia  to receive Western vaccines; at the time, they could also be vaccinated in Germany. Now Russians can go to Serbia, Germany, Croatia, or Greece to be vaccinated or receive a booster shot .

As tides of uncertainty continue to sweep Russia, there is still room for change. QR codes, for example, might be making a comeback. On November 12, the Russian government proposed legislation that would mandate QR codes for all citizens to use trains, airplanes, to gather in public places such as restaurants, and to attend mass events.

On September 30 , Russia finally completed the phase three trials for Sputnik V, and on October 7, Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriyev announced that the WHO would send a delegation to Russia to commence the approval process for the vaccine in October.

Unfortunately, the European Union has since pushed the approval process back to 2022 , another potential blow to stabilizing COVID-19 rates in the Federation. Another spike in cases and new partial lockdown of Moscow, a non-working period where residents were still allowed to roam the city between October 28 and November 7, quickly followed the delay.

Haley Bader

Digital Editor, Russian Life

Subscribe to the Davis Center Newsletter

Be the first to know about events, programs, and news.

VUSN matching program to inspire philanthropy, drive research and work to ease health inequities

Media inquiries.

• 615-322-6397 Email

Latest Stories

• WATCH: Unique perspectives from around the globe enrich the Class of 2024
• Vanderbilt Peabody College premieres new education doctorate for global learners
• Will the movement to legalize psychedelics succeed?

Apr 29, 2024, 12:49 PM

In support of its commitment to fighting health inequities, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing has launched an ambitious campaign to raise and match $1 million to support health disparity research.

Pamela R. Jeffries, dean and Valere Potter Distinguished Professor of Nursing, recently announced the school’s Nursing Health Equity Fellowship program, setting aside $1 million for health equity research at the school and asking VUSN supporters to make a 1:1 philanthropic match to fund this critical research.

VUSN has long tackled health inequities—the systemic variations that prevent certain communities from attaining optimal health—through research, student clinical experiences and faculty practice. These inequities affect millions of people around the country and are especially pronounced for people of color, those with disabilities, individuals who belong to the LGBTQ+ community and those who live in low-income or rural areas.

The school has increased its emphasis on health equity in recent years. Recent initiatives have included building health equity education and efforts into its new Master of Nursing registered nurse program, providing COVID-19 vaccines to the uninsured through Vanderbilt’s mobile vaccine program, and conducting interdisciplinary research within the Vanderbilt Center for Research on Inequality and Health , a pioneering center launched this fall in partnership with the College of Arts and Science.

“For nurses to provide world-class support to our patients, we must also address the broader circumstances, contexts and injustices that underlie their care,” Jeffries said. “I initiated this match program to amplify health equity research today and to instill a lifelong passion for this issue among our talented faculty and students.”

Gifts made as part of the match program will fund faculty and student fellowships, as well as health equity programs to be offered as part of Immersion Vanderbilt, a curriculum requirement for all undergraduate students that promotes experiential learning beyond the classroom. Together, these initiatives will spark research across topics such as: how a neighborhood’s drinking water and environmental factors affect children’s cognitive development; strategies for the fair and efficient distribution of preventative care resources among underserved populations; and other potential projects and applications.

The match will run until Dec. 31, or until the $1 million in match dollars are fulfilled. Eligible gifts include endowed commitments in the amount of $100,000 or more, paid in a single payment or pledged over multiple scheduled payments.

In addition to directly supporting Vanderbilt’s health equity scholars, gifts made in support of the Health Equity Fellowship program will power the momentum of Vanderbilt’s Dare to Grow campaign, a $3.2 billion effort that will fund Vanderbilt’s most ambitious vision: to be the great university of the 21st century.

Keep Reading

Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery added to Discovery Vanderbilt portfolio; philanthropic matching launched

Diermeier announces enhanced retirement plan with increased match, auto enrollment 

Daring to Grow: The stories that shaped Vanderbilt in 2023

Explore story topics.

• Health and Medicine
• Center for Research on Inequality and Health
• health disparities
• Health Equity
• Health Equity Fellowship program
• Immersion Vanderbilt
• Master of Nursing
• Mobile Vaccine Program
• Pamela Jeffries
• research fellowships
• Research News
• School of Nursing

• FanNation FanNation FanNation
• Swimsuit SI Swimsuit SI Swimsuit
• Sportsbook SI Sportsbook SI Sportsbook
• Tickets SI Tickets SI Tickets
• Shop SI Shop SI Shop
• NBA NBA NBA
• Home Home Home
• Scores Scores Scores
• Draft Tracker Draft Tracker Draft Tracker
• Schedule Schedule Schedule
• Standings Standings Standings

• Stats Statistics Statistics
• Injuries Injuries Injuries
• Transactions Transactions Transactions
• Odds Odds Odds
• Futures Futures Futures
• Podcasts Podcasts Podcasts
• Teams Teams Teams

© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Admits Tyrese Maxey Traveled on Pivotal Four-Point Play in 76ers–Knicks

This call would've changed everything.

• Author: Tom Dierberger

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey stole the show Tuesday night, scoring seven points in the final 25 seconds to force overtime and eventually defeat the New York Knicks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden.

But on Wednesday, the NBA revealed in its Last Two Minute Report that one of Maxey's game-changing plays in the final minute shouldn't have counted. He traveled before launching a three-pointer from 25 feet with 25 seconds remaining.

"Maxey gathers the ball on his left foot, takes two legal steps, and then moves his right foot again just before he is fouled on his shot," the report indicates.

TYRESE MAXEY DRILLS THE 3 + THE FOUL !!! SIXERS CUT THE DEFICIT TO 2 ON TNT 25 SECONDS REMAINING pic.twitter.com/rEEHKWthL0 — NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2024

Instead, no traveling violation was called, and Maxey drilled the three-pointer and the free throw to cut the Knicks' lead to two points.

If the travel had been called, the Knicks would've been awarded the ball with a six-point lead and 25 seconds left. The 76ers would be forced to foul, and the game likely ends in a Knicks win if they avoided turnovers and knocked down free throws.

The Last Two Minute Report also indicated that Knicks guard Josh Hart was not out of bounds with 41 seconds left in overtime when he tried to tap a loose ball to teammate Isaiah Hartenstein underneath the basket.

Instead of Hartenstein getting a chance to tie the game at 108, it was ruled a turnover. The 76ers went on to outscore the Knicks 4–0 the rest of the game to secure the victory.

The Knicks, up 3–2 in the series, will get another chance to end Philadelphia's season on Thursday in Game 6 at Wells Fargo Center.

Latest NBA News

Nick Nurse Dishes Latest on Joel Embiid Before Sixers vs. Suns

Coby White is set to return and says he dodged a bullet in a nasty fall vs. the Indiana Pacers

Looking Ahead to the Raptors Upcoming Race For Draft Seeding

Pelicans vs. Magic: 3 Best Bets

Cam Johnson spends off day visiting Brooklyn's NETSTEM program

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

Clinical Update Yellow Fever Online Course

CDC Travelers’ Health is pleased to announce that Yellow Fever: Information for Health-Care Professionals Advising Travelers is now available on the CDC Travelers’ Health website. This free, online course is designed to provide a variety of health-care professionals with comprehensive training on yellow fever disease and yellow fever vaccine.

The course comprises two lessons. Lesson 1 — Yellow Fever: History, Epidemiology, and Vaccine Information — explores the history and epidemiology of yellow fever disease and outlines the safe, CDC-recommended use of the yellow fever vaccine.

Lesson 2 — The Pre-Travel Consultation and Best Practices for Yellow Fever Vaccine Providers and Clinics — instructs learners on how to conduct a thorough pre-travel consultation and outlines best practices for providers and clinics that give yellow fever vaccination.

Continuing Education (CE) credit will be available through CDC for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and health educators who complete both lessons of the course. The course can be accessed directly from http://www.cdc.gov/travel-training/ .

File Formats Help:

• Adobe PDF file
• Microsoft PowerPoint file
• Microsoft Word file
• Microsoft Excel file
• Audio/Video file
• Apple Quicktime file
• RealPlayer file
• Zip Archive file

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.