Russia all set to launch ‘world’s first Covid-19 vaccine'

WHO welcomes South Africa’s and India’s recent proposal to WTO to ease international and intellectual property agreements on Covid-19 vaccine.

WHO welcomes South Africa’s and India’s recent proposal to WTO to ease international and intellectual property agreements on Covid-19 vaccine.

Published Aug 11, 2020

Share

DURBAN - Russia is all set to launch the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday, August 12. According to the Russian health ministry, the Gamaleya vaccine will be first given to doctors and teachers after which there will be a mass vaccination campaign in October.

However, Russia has not published any findings from its vaccine trials; a great concern for health experts and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The health body has also stepped in and urged the country to follow the established guidelines to produce a 'safe and effective vaccine'.

Addressing speculations about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Centre maintained that the Coronavirus particles in the vaccine cannot harm the body as they cannot multiply.

According to Sputnik News Agency, Gintsburg said, “The particles and objects that can reproduce their own kind are the ones that are considered alive. The particles in question cannot multiply.

The country currently has another Covid-19 vaccine candidate being developed by the Vektor State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology.

Scientists from this research centre say they have found that the coronavirus has a major weakness. In a recent study published on

Sputnik News report,

the scientists found room-temperature water can apparently kill 90 percent of the coronavirus particles in 24 hours. After 72 hours, some 99.9% of the virus’ particles were found to die.

Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has reportedly accepted Russia’s offer of its experimental coronavirus vaccine. According to a report from Bloomberg, Duterte has volunteered to take the first shot as a gesture of trust and gratitude as Moscow geared up to launch the world's first Covid-19 vaccine.

“When the vaccine arrives, I will have myself injected in public. Experiment on me first, that’s fine with me,” Duterte was quoted as saying in a briefing Monday night.

For LIVE updates on the Coronavirus pandemic, follow us on Twitter:

@sacoronamonitor

CORONAVIRUS MONITOR

Related Topics:

Covid-19