Russian scientists successfully complete world’s first COVID-19 vaccine trial

Sechenov University researchers have successfully completed clinical trials of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine on volunteers, chief researcher Elena Smolyarchuk told a Russian news outlet on Sunday, July 12.

The Russian mission to India, in a tweet, quoted Smolyarchuk saying 'the vaccine is safe'. Alexander Lukashev, Director of the Institute of Medical Parasitology Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases at Sechenov University, also vouched for the safety of the drug while speaking to local media.

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As per reports, the first group of volunteers would be discharged on July 15 and the second batch would be discharged on July 20. Moreover, the volunteers will remain under medical supervision on an out-patient basis after being discharged.

Sechenov University is reported to have started with the first stage of research on June 18 with a group of 18 volunteers. The second group of 20 volunteers was tested for the COVID-19 vaccine on June 23.  

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