Gintsburg explained it is recommended to refrain from alcohol intake for three days after receiving the shots.
"Of course, we are not talking about a complete ban on alcohol during vaccination. Only about a reasonable limitation of consumption for the period when the body is still developing the immune response to the coronavirus infection", Gintsburg told reporters.
This applies to any vaccine, not only Sputnik V, since excessive alcohol consumption can significantly damage the immune system and therefore reduce vaccination efficacy, the official explained.
Head of Russia's Gamaleya Says There Is No 'Ban' on Alcohol During Coronavirus Vaccination
© REUTERS / Matyas Borsos
"Nevertheless, we strongly recommend refraining from drinking alcohol for three days after each injection", Gintsburg said.
On Tuesday, the chief of Russia's public health watchdog, Anna Popova, said that those set to get inoculated should stop consuming alcohol at least two weeks prior to the first injection and 42 days after it.
This week, Russia is launching its large-scale vaccination campaign. Medical personnel, social service workers, and teachers are the first in line to get shots of the nation's pioneer adenoviral vector-based vaccine, Sputnik V.