While most countries are in different stages of trials with regard to their potential COVID-19 vaccine candidates, Russia is all set to roll out its newly developed vaccine Sputnik V for civilian use this week. This vaccine candidate Sputnik V may get the approval for the release of the first batch this week, Denis Logunov, an associate member of Russian Academy of Sciences, said, Russian news agency TASS reported.
The report quoted Logunov as saying that the necessary approval could be granted to vaccine in a few days. He said the country's medical watchdog Roszdravnadzor will soon assess the vaccine for quality check and that they are hoping that it would get approval by September 13, following which the government will authorise the vaccine for civilian use.
Also read: Russia's COVID-19 vaccine safe, produces immune response: Lancet
The Russian health ministry had recently invited general public to participate in the post-registration advanced vaccination trial study. Over 40,000 people are expected to take part in the study. The government also administered the Sputnik V vaccine on COVID-19 patients at three outpatient clinics in Moscow.
Though world medical community at large has been sceptical of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine, the recent peer-reviewed data, published in The Lancet medical journal, could give a much-needed boost to its credibility.
Also read: COVID-19 vaccine: Russia invites Moscow residents to join advanced trials for Sputnik V
Based to the data from preliminary results of phase 1 and phase 2 trials, The Lancet medical journal last week said Russia's potential coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, approved in the country last month, induced an antibody response in all participants with no serious side effects. The vaccine produced a response in T-cells, a type of white blood cells that helps the immune system combat any infection, the report said.
Also read: COVID-19 crisis: Scientists flag concerns over vaccines from Russia, China
The vaccine has been developed by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow in collaboration with Russia's Defence Ministry. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier hailed Sputnik V named after the Soviet Union's 1957 launch of the world's first satellite into space, as the first vaccine globally to receive clearance.
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