Russia has begun to inoculate volunteers in Moscow as part of the phase 3 trial of the country’s coronavirus vaccine, the AFP news agency reported, citing the capital’s deputy mayor. “The first participants have already been vaccinated in clinics in the capital,” Deputy Mayor Anastasia Rakova, head of social development, said in a statement.
Russia last month approved a vaccine against the coronavirus, which has been named “Sputnik V” after the Soviet-era satellite that was the first to be launched into space in 1957. The vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya research institute in Moscow. in coordination with the Russian Defense Ministry. .
But Russia raised concerns among some scientists by announcing that the vaccine had received approval before full clinical trials were completed.
Many of Russia’s top leaders, including Vladimir Zhirinovsky, have already been vaccinated.
Russian authorities say mass deliveries of the vaccine to the regions are scheduled to begin in November. Earlier, the Ministry of Health reported that the first batch of the Sputnik V vaccine was released for civil circulation and that priority will be given to teachers and health workers.
In another development, AstraZeneca has suspended global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine after an unexplained illness in a participant.
Safety is paramount in vaccine clinical trials and temporary suspensions are not unusual for evaluating any unexplained illness in a participant, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday regarding the pause in an AstraZeneca COVID-19 trial. .
“We are pleased to see that vaccine developers ensure the scientific integrity of trials and adhere to standard guidelines and rules for vaccine development,” WHO said.
The WHO recommended “strict adherence to established testing protocols in all vaccine trials to ensure the safety of volunteers and the eventual safety and efficacy of the vaccines,” he added.
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