COVID-19 vaccine to reach all Russian regions on September 14: Report

The Russian health ministry registered the first vaccine against COVID-19, developed by Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), on August 11

Moneycontrol News

September 13, 2020 / 16:28 IST

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The first batch of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik V' is expected to be delivered to all regions of the country by September 14, news agency TASS reported.

"The first batches of the vaccine for testing the supply chain have already been shipped. We are now checking the delivery system so that the staff gets to know it. The first small batches have already been shipped to all regions. The Leningrad region will also receive [the vaccine] among the first ones. In fact, the first samples of the vaccine will be delivered by Monday (September 14)," Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.

Earlier on September 11, Russia's sovereign wealth fund said more than one billion people would receive its COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik-V' in 2020-21, the Interfax news agency reported.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has already signed two deals to export the vaccine abroad. The Brazilian state of Bahia has agreed to conduct Phase III clinical trials of the vaccine.

The Russian health ministry registered the first vaccine against COVID-19, developed by Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), on August 11.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

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