US expresses doubts over Russia announcing 'world's first' COVID-19 vaccine

The United States has expressed its scepticism over Russia announcing the ‘world’s first’ coronavirus vaccine named after Earth's first satellite 'Sputnik' 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. Russian state media reported on August 10 of Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing the approval of coronavirus vaccine by the health ministry. 

In a televised interview during his visit to Taiwan, when Azar was asked about his take on the recent declaration of COVID-19 vaccine by Russia, he talked about the importance of having a transparent data on its efficiency. While 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. Meanwhile, the global coronavirus cases have surpassed 20.1 million with over 737,900 deaths as per Johns Hopkins University tally and the US remains the world’s most virus-affected country. America has till now recorded more than 5.1 million COVID-19 cases and 164,101 deaths. Russia, on the other hand, has over 895,600 cases of coronavirus with 15,100 casualties. 

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US has ‘more stringent’ standards

Russia’s announcement came when the entire world was struggling to come up with COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, 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. In a separate televised interview, Conway said that US Food and Drug Administration sets the standards adding that from what she understands from the Russia announcement is “this is nowhere near where we are”.

However, accusing stir on the global platform, Putin had said that the COVID-19 vaccine developed in the country had undergone required tests and it gave promising results of providing lasting immunity to the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. The Russian President even claimed that one of his two adult daughters has already been inoculated. But, according to reports, the Russian authorities have offered no proof to back the claims of safety or effectiveness. 

Read - Putin Says Russia Develops World's First Vaccine Against Coronavirus

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Image: AP