Apart from been registering the vaccine for use, the President said one of his daughters has already been inoculated, according to the Associated Press. He stated one of his two daughters has got the shot of the vaccine and doing well.
As per the authorities, medical workers, teachers and other risk groups will be the first to be inoculated.
Naming the vaccine "Sputnik V" which was a Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space, Russian officials stated that the vaccine provided safe, stable immunity and denounced Western attempts to undermine Moscow's research.
As the world is trying to find a vaccine to save the human race from the novel coronavirus, almost six candidates from around the world are currently in phase three of human trials. However, Russia claimed that one of their candidates has completed all three phases of human clinical trials successfully. It is reportedly expected to start the production of vaccine soon and already has plans for a massive, country-wide vaccine drive.
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Russian News Agency TASS reported that human trials of the Gam-COVID-Vac Lyo – the vaccine candidate from the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute – are now complete.
The process of registering the vaccine will begin as early as 10 to 12 August. As per the news agency Bloomberg report the vaccine will be made available 'within three to seven days of registration'.
It is also reported that the President had directed the government to ensure funding for flu and coronavirus vaccination after vaccines get registered and ensure up to 60 per cent of Russians get vaccinated against flu.
"The government of the Russian Federation should ensure full funding of events aimed at prevention of acute respiratory infections in the 2020-2021 fall-winter epidemic season, envisioning flu vaccination of up to 60 percent of the Russian population, up to 75 percent of individuals from risk groups, and also vaccination against the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19 after state registration of the relevant vaccines," the decree read, according to Sputnik News.
The vaccine was developed by Gamaleya Research Institute and the Russian Defence Ministry, as per Deputy Health Minister Oleg Gridnev.
The country aims to go for serial production of the first domestic coronavirus vaccine by September as per the TASS report. But the overall production as per the Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov will depend on the needs of the healthcare system.
How reliable?
Even as Russia becomes the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine, scientists are wary about its efficacy. Some are raising doubts over the decision to register the vaccine before Phase 3 trials that takes months involving thousands of people.