WHO Welcomes Registration in Russia of Vaccine against Covid-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) reportedly welcomed today the registration in Russia of a vaccine against the Covid-19 pandemic.

WHO experts quoted by RIA Novosti welcome all achievements in the field of research and development of a vaccine against that disease.

The international organization confirmed its call for rapid, equitable and fair access to any of the vaccine variants worldwide, the sources said.

Previously, WHO representatives indicated that they were analyzing with Russia the possibility of a requalification of the vaccine to verify whether it meets the standards established by that entity, Moscow television reported.

President Vladimir Putin announced yesterday that Russia was the first country to officially register a new vaccine against Covid-19 that received the symbolic name Sputnik V, alluding to the Soviet feat of launching the first artificial satellite of the Earth, in 1957.

Representatives of the scientific center N.F. Gamalei, who together with the 48 Institute of the Ministry of Defense developed the aforementioned vaccine, pointed out that vaccination in a first stage is limited to people between 18 and 60 years of age.

At the same time, the Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko affirmed that the first batch of the referred preparation will be ready within two weeks and will be applied first to health personnel and teachers, always on a voluntary basis.