Russia plans mass vaccination against COVID-19 by October

Russia is planning to launch a mass vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus in October 2020. This was announced by Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko on August 31, 2020.

The Health Minister stated that the doctors and teachers will be the first to get vaccinated. The Minister, however, did not divulge any information regarding the vaccine that will be used. 

As per media reports, Russia’s first potential COVID-19 vaccine, which has been developed by a state research facility, is expected to receive local regulatory approval in August. It will be administered to the health workers soon after that.

Russia's COVID Vaccine

• The Russian COVID-19 vaccine has been created by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow.

• The potential Russian vaccine candidate is currently undergoing its phase 2 clinical trials. The second phase of trials are expected to be completed by August 3rd. 

• The phase 3 of clinical trials of the potential COVID vaccine will begin from August 4th. Russia is racing to get the vaccine approved for public use by August 10. 

• If the approval comes through in the stipulated time period, the potential vaccine will be administered to the frontline medical workers while it simultaneously undergoes the phase 3 trials.

Background 

Russia on June 18, 2020 had given its approval to conduct the human trials of two potential vaccine candidates developed by Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology.  The first vaccine trial was carried out at the Burdenko Military Hospital, while the second was carried out at the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. 

The first vaccine is in the form of a solution for intramuscular administration and the second one is in the form of a powder for the preparation of a solution for intramuscular administration.

According to the World Health Organisation, there are at least 21 vaccines that are undergoing human trials across the world. India has also begun clinical trials of its two potential vaccine candidates- Bharat Biotech and ICMR's COVAXIN and Zydus Cadila's ZyCov-D. The registrations for the human trials of the Indian vaccines began on July 7.