Russia To Become The First Country To Register COVID-19 Vaccine; WHO Concerned About Safety

Russia is all set to register its coronavirus vaccine on August 12th. The WHO has raised several safety concerns regarding this vaccine, yet Russia remains confident about it.

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New Delhi: Russian vaccine developed by Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry is set to be registered this week on August 12th, 2020. The documents about the trials are under review and the final decision regarding the registration will be made after the results. Russia is the fourth worst-hit nation after the US, Brazil, and India. Russia's Deputy Health Minister Oleg Gridnev revealed his plans for registering the vaccine on August 12th the effectiveness of the vaccine will be judged when the population has developed an immunity according to Sputnik New Agency. The WHO has raised several safety concerns regarding this vaccine and it is not among the six vaccines that have reached the crucial Phase 3 trial, according to the World Health Organization, yet Russia remains confident about the vaccine. According to a statement issued earlier by the Russian Defence Ministry, on August 3rd a "final medical examination" of the participants took place in Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital. The statement said that the results showed that all volunteers have a clear immune response and there were no side effects or abnormalities. "Thus, the available data of laboratory and instrumental studies allow us to speak about the safety and good tolerance of the vaccine," the statement added according to an IANS report. According to a report by AP even Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease specialist has raised doubts and said, “I do hope that the Chinese and the Russians are actually testing a vaccine before they are administering the vaccine to anyone, because claims of having a vaccine ready to distribute before you do testing I think is problematic at best." The vaccine has been developed by embedding the coronavirus genetic materials into adenovirus which is a common cold virus. Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Centre said that COVID-19 particles can cause maximum discomfort because when a foreign antigen is injected, the immune system of the person being vaccinated receives a powerful boost. Some people naturally have a fever under these circumstances. During clinical trials of the drug, the temperature of the volunteers rose to 37 degrees Celsius and sometimes to 38 degrees Celsius, but this "side-effect" can easily be overcome by taking paracetamol, the scientist added according to Sputnik New Agency. Clinical trials of the vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology jointly with the Russian Defence Ministry, began at Sechenov University on 18 June. All 38 volunteers developed an immunity according to Sputnik News Agency.