Russia registered the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday claiming that it has been proven to offer lasting immunity from the coronavirus for up to two years, reported Africa News.
The vaccine has got regulatory approval after less than two months of testing on humans. It had been named Sputnik-V, in honour of the world’s first satellite. Sputnik is the Russian word for satellite.
During a government meeting on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ensured that the vaccine is safe, and has undergone proper testing.
He said the vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute, offered “sustainable immunity” against the virus.
“I know it has proven efficient and forms a stable immunity, and I would like to repeat that it has passed all the necessary tests, Mr. Putin said, adding, “We must be grateful to those who made that first step very important for our country and the entire world.”
The Russian president said one of his two daughters was given two shots of the vaccine during the trials. He explained that his daughter had a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius on the day of the first vaccine injection which then dropped to just over 37 degrees on the following day. Her temperature slightly increase again after the second shot was administered and then went back to normal afterwards.
“She’s feeling well and has a high number of antibodies,” Mr. Putin said.
Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said the first batch of the Russian vaccine against COVID-19 is expected to be released within two weeks.
On Tuesday, the WHO said it had been in talks with the authorities of Russia about undertaking a review of the Sputnik-V vaccine.
Currently, the Russian vaccine is not among the WHO’s list of six vaccines that have reached phase three clinical trials, which involve more widespread testing in humans.
Russia has so far registered 897,599 coronavirus cases, including 15,131 deaths.
