Russia's COVID-19 vaccine is safe and gives lasting immunity, says Vladimir Putin

Russia became the first country in the world to officially register a coronavirus vaccine and claim it to be ready for use. While announcing the approval of health ministry, Russian President Vladimir Putin not only said that the vaccine is safe and underwent necessary tests but even added that one of his adult daughters has already been inoculated. While Putin said that the vaccine, named after Earth’s first satellite ‘Sputnik’, is efficient and offers a lasting immunity from the novel coronavirus, scientists have been reportedly raising concerns over rushing the use of the vaccine before Phase 3 trials that last for several months. 

While speaking at a government meeting on Tuesday, Putin said that the COVID-19 vaccine has been subjected to all the required tests and said ‘I would like to repeat that it has passed all necessary tests. The most important thing is to ensure full safety of using the vaccine and its efficiency’. 

The Russian President then added that one of his daughters also took part in the experiment of the vaccine, Putin said that his daughter had a temperature of 38 degree-Celcius on the day of first vaccine injection and then it dropped to just slightly over 37 degree-Celcius on the next day. He added that a slight increase in temperature was recorded after his daughter was subjected to the second shot. But, then it was all over. 

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US expressed doubt over Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine

The United States has expressed its scepticism over Russia announcing ‘world’s first’ coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday. The US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has reportedly said that it is more essential to have a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine than acing the race of being the first one to produce.

While to replying to the question on ABC, the US Health and Human Services Secretary said, “The point is not to be first with a vaccine. The point is to have a vaccine that is safe and effective for the American people and the people of the world.” Alex Azar also noted that the United States already has at least six vaccines for the novel coronavirus under the Operation Warp Speed initiative.

White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway also expressed doubts about the testing that backed Russia’s claim of developing the coronavirus vaccine. She said that the United States has ‘more stringent’ standards to the entire procedure. Meanwhile, the global coronavirus cases have surpassed 20.1 million with over 737,900 deaths as per Johns Hopkins University tally. 

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Image: AP