Russia to Begin COVID-19 Mass Vaccination in 2 Weeks... Will It Be Effective?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Kim] Russia is launching a nationwide vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Local authorities announced on the 7th (local time) that Russia will begin mass vaccination for the general public with 'Sputnik V,' the COVID-19 vaccine developed domestically and officially approved as the world's first.

According to TASS news agency on the same day, Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology under the Russian Ministry of Health, which developed the Sputnik V vaccine, stated, "Mass vaccination will begin within the next two weeks in Moscow and Moscow Oblast."

He explained that the supply from Russian pharmaceutical companies producing the vaccine is steadily increasing, with 500,000 doses expected to be supplied for mass vaccination by the end of this month, and three times that amount to be supplied next month.

Earlier, on August 11, the Russian government officially approved (registered) the Sputnik V vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Center, making it the first in the world to do so.

However, concerns about efficacy and safety arose as the vaccine received national approval immediately after passing phases 1 and 2 clinical trials without undergoing the three-phase clinical trial process.

In response, since September, Russia has started vaccinating high-risk groups such as medical personnel and teachers, while simultaneously conducting a 'post-registration trial,' equivalent to phase 3, involving about 40,000 Moscow residents.

Additionally, on the 14th of last month, Russia officially approved 'EpiVacCorona,' the second COVID-19 vaccine developed by the State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology 'Vector,' under the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor), the health, hygiene, and quarantine authority.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.