Russian authorities are gearing up for mass vaccination against COVID-19 by 2021 as the “EpiVacCorona” vaccine has proved to be effective.
Director-General Rinat Makasyutov of Vector Centre said, “A mass vaccination campaign is expected to begin in 2021.”
Makasyutov confirmed that the vaccination will be voluntary and free for a Russian citizen. Furthermore, the police officer and other workers, whose work brings them in contact with a larger group of people, will be first in line to get a vaccine.
The report stated, 40,000 volunteers will be a part of the COVID-19 vaccine trials, and it will commence in November or December.
Maksyutov stated, “The launch of several post-registration trials is planned for November – December 2020. They will last six months from the date of the inoculation of the last volunteer.”
SARS-Co V-2 antigen contains a part of a macromolecule that is recognized by the immune system. The developer added one of the benefits of this vaccine is its “effectiveness against genetically and antigenically distinct strains.”
The scientist explained, “As opposed to a vector vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya National Research Centre for Epidemiology and Microbiology, and to an inactivated vaccine of the Chumakov Federal Scientific Centre for Research and Development of Immune and Biological Products of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the EpiVacCorona vaccine contains only short sequences of the viral protein, peptides, necessary for the formation of the immune response.”
On 14 October, Russia registered its second vaccine against Corona. While in July, the Vector Research Centre got the clearance from the Russian Health Ministry to conduct clinical trials.
President Vladimir Putin, while speaking to an investor forum in Russia, said that all COVID-19 experimental vaccines produced in the country have proved to be effective, and he hopes to start mass vaccinations by year-end.
