Ahead of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, Russian citizens have been told to avoid consuming vodka prior to and after their COVID-19 vaccination.
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Anna Popova, head of Russia's consumer health watchdog, went on national radio on Tuesday last to tell citizens they should not imbibe for two weeks before their first injection of the Sputnik V vaccine.
Vaccine recipients should stay sober for an additional six weeks after that to ensure a strong immune response. There are 21 days between the two Sputnik shots.
This has not gone down well among the Russians as the festive season approaches.
"I reckon the stress on the body of giving up alcohol, especially during what is a festive period, would be worse than the (side effects of the) vaccine and its alleged benefits," a Moscow resident told Reuters.