Moscow [Russia], December 23 (ANI/Sputnik): Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized vaccine skeptics on Thursday, saying that herd immunity to COVID-19 in the country was slightly under 60%, saying that it was "low" and that Russians needed at least an 80% herd immunity to be safe from the virus.

"The rate is low -- 59.4% as of yesterday evening... It's Russia's herd immunity, which includes those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated," he told the end-of-year press conference.

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Some 70 million have been injected with the first dose of the two-shot vaccine and another 70 million have been fully immunized, the president estimated, citing the health ministry's figures.

"We need a herd immunity of some 80%. I hope we will get there by the end of the first quarter or in the second quarter," Putin told reporters. (ANI/Sputnik)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)