Russia now has coronavirus vaccine and mass vaccination begins by October, Minister says
Russia now has a coronavirus vaccine and mass vaccination would begin by October, reports said on Saturday, after a vaccine completed clinical trials.
Interfax news agency quoted the Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko as saying that the Gamaleya Institute, a state research facility in Moscow, had completed clinical trials of the vaccine and paperwork is being prepared to register it, adding that doctors and teachers would be the first to be vaccinated.
“We plan wider vaccinations for October,” Murashko was quoted as saying.
Reuters news agency quoted a source this week as saying that Russia’s first potential COVID-19 vaccine would secure local regulatory approval in August and be administered to health workers soon thereafter.
The Gamaleya Institute has been working on an adenovirus-based vaccine.
However, many questions whether the Russian vaccine would be safe.
Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa. Simon covers President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, the U.S. government, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington D.C. and New York City.
