Russian coronavirus vaccine 'absolutely safe and efficient', says sanitary watchdog Anna Popova (Representative)
The fast-tracked coronavirus vaccine that has been manufactured at Russia’s Gamaleya Institute is absolutely safe for use, says Chief of the country’s sanitary watchdog Anna Popova. Popova has said that she has no doubt that the vaccine is perfectly safe as well as efficient.
“I have no doubts that the vaccine [against the novel coronavirus] that is to reach people will be absolutely safe and, of course, efficient," she said in an interview with the Vesti news program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
Popova went on to say that the Russian’s are very careful with the kind of vaccines they put in the market, therefore there was no chance of releasing a vaccine with questionable safety. “We are very careful about the quality of vaccines and exercise very strict control of their quality. We take into account any skin reactions after using any vaccine," she said.
"I would like to hope that it (immunity - TASS) will be sustainable and lasting," she said, adding that vaccination protocol for Russia-developed vaccines envisages two inoculations. "It means that the first inoculation is to be followed by the second one in a span of 21 days," she noted.
The Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko had earlier said that the clinical trials of the vaccine had been completed and that the vaccine could be registered as early as August 10-12.
Reports have suggested that Russia is planning to vaccinate doctors and teachers this month itself while a larger more intrinsic vaccination campaign will be launched in October.
