Russia is planning to start mass vaccination against Covid-19 in November or December, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said, Sputnik reports.
“For risk groups, the first vaccines will begin to arrive in small quantities as early as September, and more massive vaccination coverage is planned after November-December,” the Minister said.
“The vaccine will be first and foremost shipped to health workers and teachers,” Murashko said, adding that the vaccination will be “completely voluntary.”
Post-registration trial of the COVID-19 vaccine will begin this week, he added.
In August, the Russian government officially registered Sputnik V as the world’s first vaccine against COVID-19. Though the vaccine is still underway with the third — last — phase of clinical trials, as per the protocols of the World Health Organization, Russian health officials said it had proven the capability to produce stable immunity against the coronavirus.
Several other countries have followed the lead and announced they would fast-track the registration of their COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use.
