Covid-19: Russia to produce Sputnik V

Shafaq News / On Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Health announced the production of the Covid-19 vaccine "Sputnik V," which was developed by the "Gamaleya" National Center, according to "Interfax" news agency.

Thus, Russia has become the first country to start producing a vaccine against virus.

Russia said that the vaccine will be offered at the end of this month, August.

It is planned that the vaccination campaign will be carried out in two phases, separated by three weeks.

The Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko recently confirmed that the vaccination in Russia will be exclusively voluntary.

According to the ministry's data, the Russian vaccine enables the establishment of immunity against the virus for up to two years.

US President Donald Trump had expressed his hope that the Russian vaccine would be effective, stressing to comply with all practical rules in the drug industry.

Trump said that Washington does not know much about “Sputnik-V", noting that the United States has made tangible progress in developing a vaccine for Corona, which will be declared in the near future.

Last week, Russia's announcement to register a vaccine that provides "sustainable immunity" against the virus, sparked a criticism in a number of countries in the world, and concerns among some experts.

The German Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, considered that the Russian vaccine has not been tested adequately, stressing that the goal is to create a safe product and not to be the first country to provide it.

Some experts also expressed concern about Moscow's decision to grant approval for the vaccine before completing the final trials.