Russia: vaccine approved for use

Written by David Fletcher 13 Aug 2020
Russia: vaccine approved for use

Vladimir Putin said a vaccine for Covid-19 has been given regulatory approval after less than two months’ testing on humans. It has passed all the required checks, and he added that his daughter had already been given it. Officials plan to start mass vaccination in October. However experts have concerns about the speed of Russia's work, suggesting that researchers might be cutting corners. Amid fears that safety could be compromised, WHO has urged Russia to follow international guidelines for producing a vaccine. The vaccine is not currently among the WHO's list of six which have reached phase three clinical trials, involving more widespread testing in humans. Globally over 100 vaccines are in early development. Some are being tested on people in clinical trials. Most experts think that a vaccine will not become widely available until mid-2021. Russia's vaccine data cannot be verified.

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