OREANDA-NEWS.  Those vaccinated with coronavirus vaccines not recognised by the European Medicines Agency, including the Russian "Sputnik V", will be able to receive a European Union (EU) COVID-certificate after a booster dose of mRNA vaccine. This was announced by Roberto Speranza, head of the Italian Ministry of Health, ANSA news agency reports.

As explained by Speranza, the booster will need to be received no later than six months after the vaccination has been completed. According to an Italian Ministry of Health circular published earlier, the vaccine in question is from Pfizer and Moderna.

Earlier, Roberto Speranza called for mutual recognition of coronavirus vaccines. He added that this was not a political issue and should only be guided by the opinion of the scientific community.

On Wednesday, Aifa director general Nicola Magrini announced such a decision. He allowed the possibility of revaccinating citizens who had previously been vaccinated with preparations against the coronavirus not recognised by the pharma regulator, including the Russian Sputnik V and the Chinese Sinovac.

According to Magrini, agency experts have considered the issue and concluded that people who have completed a course of vaccination with COVID-19 products not recognised in Italy should be given a booster dose of one of the vaccines used in the country and then be given a green pass.

Previously, the Italian health authorities have repeatedly promised to solve the problem related to citizens vaccinated with "Sputnik V" and "Sinovac". Thus, the Head of Directorate of Disease Prevention of the Ministry of Health, Giovanni Rezza, in early October allowed for introduction of additional dose of mRNA-vaccine for such citizens. In late September, Russian Ambassador to Italy Sergey Razov said that Italian authorities promised to consider the possibility of including citizens vaccinated with the Russian "Sputnik V" vaccine in the national system of COVID-certificates, "but in what sense and how soon" is unknown, the diplomat pointed out then.