Russia starts clinical trials of COVID19 vaccine

Clinical trials of a Russian coronavirus vaccine started Wednesday, the country's health ministry said in a statement. Two forms of the vaccine developed by the Moscow-based Gamaleya research institute — liquid and powder for injections — will be tested on two groups of volunteers, 38 people each, the statement said. The participants will be isolated in two Moscow hospitals. Anna Popova, head of Russia's federal consumer rights and human wellbeing body, said she hoped the vaccines would be "first of all safe and secondly effective." According to Russian media, at least seven research facilities are currently working on coronavirus vaccines.