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When Russian regulators approved the country's own coronavirus vaccine, it was a moment of national pride, and the Pavlov family was among those who rushed to take the injection. But international health authorities have not yet given their blessing to the Sputnik V shot.
Russians are flocking to Serbia to receive Western-approved COVID-19 shots
Serbia, which is not a member of the European Union, is a convenient choice for vaccine-seeking Russians because they can enter the allied Balkan nation without visas and because it offers a wide choice of Western-made shots.
When Russian regulators approved the country’s own coronavirus vaccine, the Pavlov family rushed to take the injection. But international health authorities have not yet given their blessing to the Sputnik V shot. So when the family wanted to visit the West, they looked for a vaccine that would let them travel freely — a quest that brought them to Serbia.
Serbia, a fellow-Orthodox Christian and Slavic nation, offers the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Chinese Sinopharm shots. By popular demand, Russian tourist agencies are now also offering tours to Croatia, where tourists can receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, without the need to return for a second dose.