Russia names ‘world’s first’ COVID-19 vaccine after first Earth satellite ‘Sputnik’

Russia has named its new COVID-19 vaccine after Sputnik, the first artificial Earth satellite launched by the erstwhile Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. During a meeting via video link, President Vladimir Putin announced on August 11 that the health ministry has approved the world’s first coronavirus vaccine.

The world’s first clinically approved vaccine against the novel coronavirus has been manufactured by the Gamaleya Research Institute in collaboration with the Russian Health Ministry. Putin said that his daughter has already received the vaccination, adding that she had a mild temperature after she was vaccinated but it quickly went away.

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told the meeting that it is one of the first registered vaccines in the world to prove its effectiveness and safety. He said that the vaccine will be produced at two sites - the Gamaleya Center of Russian Health Ministry and Binnopharm. Murashko added 20 countries have pre-ordered a billion doses of new coronavirus vaccine.

“The vaccine is registered under the conditions in accordance with the procedure for market access adopted by the Government of the Russian Federation for drugs intended for the prevention of COVID-19,” said Murashko.

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Industrial production in September

Tatyana Golikova, the Deputy Prime Minister for social policy, said that industrial production of new coronavirus vaccine will start in September. She said that the medical professional will be the first one to get vaccinated and the government will further work on proposals and present Putin with a strategy by the end of 2020.

Russia has become the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine, however, questions have been raised over the decision to register it vaccine before Phase 3 trials which last for months. Last week, the experts had claimed that the potential vaccine would clear the conditional registration this month. Officials had announced that the vaccine would be ready to be administered to the civilians within three to four days of the procedure completion.

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