Russia produces first batch of controversial Covid-19 vaccine
Russia said on Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after President Vladimir Putin announced it turned out first in the world to approve a vaccine.
Putin's announcement on Tuesday about the vaccine was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organisation who said it still needs a rigorous safety review.
"The first batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine produced by the Gamaleya research institute has been produced," the health ministry said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies.
Putin said the vaccine was safe and that one of his own daughters have been inoculated, though clinical trials weren't yet complete and final stage testing involving a lot more than 2,000 persons only started this week.
Western scientists were sceptical, with some warning that moving too quickly on a vaccine could possibly be dangerous, but Russia denounced criticism as an effort to undermine Moscow's research.
The Russian vaccine is named "Sputnik V" after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first launched into space in 1957.
It was produced by the Gamaleya research institute for epidemiology and microbiology in Moscow in coordination with the Russian defence ministry.
The top of the institute, Alexander Gintsburg, told the TASS state news agency on Saturday that volunteers getting involved in the ultimate stage testing of the vaccine's safety and efficacy could have two inoculations.
Russia has said that commercial production is expected from September and that it plans to manufacture 5 million doses per month by December or January.
Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said this week that the vaccine would first be produced available to medics and would later be accessible to all or any Russians on a voluntary basis.
With an increase of than 917,000 confirmed infections, Russia's coronavirus caseload happens to be fourth in the world after the USA, Brazil and India.
Currently, Russia has 92,000 people hospitalised with the virus and 2,900 in intensive care, in line with the health ministry. - AFP
