Russia bypasses WHO, to launch Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, August 12

Russia bypasses WHO, to launch Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, August 12

- Russia is making public its Covid-19 vaccine called Gam-Covid-Vac Lyo on Tuesday, August 12, without the go-ahead from WHO

- Health experts have also shown great concerns about the vaccine as Russia has not published any report on its process

- Another vaccine being worked on in the country is EpiVacCorona, one which has not been mentioned by the health organisation

- Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

It seems Russia has finally beaten the world to it as the country plans to launch its Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, August 12, without the certification of the World Health Organisation.

Yahoo News reports that the three phases of human trials by Russia have successfully been completed as the country plans to go into mass production.

It should be noted that the country has two test candidates. One is for a vaccine being worked on by the Vektor State Research Centre of Virology and Biotechnology while the second is being handled by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in collaboration with the Russian Defence Ministry.

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An illustrative picture showing a scientist in a lab. Photo source: NewScientists
An illustrative picture showing a scientist in a lab. Photo source: NewScientists
Source: UGC

An early report by TASS said that the process for registering Gam-Covid-Vac Lyo will begin from Sunday, August 10, to Tuesday, August 12.

A Bloomberg report gathered that the vaccine will be made available “within three to seven days of registration”.

"Clinical trials of a coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya centre are over, paperwork is underway for the vaccine's registration," Mikhail Murashko, the country’s health minister said.

The same media also quoted the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev to have said that people who were given Gam-Covid-Vac Lyo had boosted immunity 21 days after they took a dose and that even increased more after a second shot.

"I can tell you, from first and second phase we have a hundred percent of people developing immunity after day 21. It doubles after the second shot. Hundred percent of animals were also protected (against the novel coronavirus)," he said.

A point worth noting is that WHO has never mentioned anything about the vaccine and Russia has also not published any findings from its vaccine trials. This makes health experts worry about the process, especially about how people may be at risk.

To highlight this concern, Christian Lindmeier, WHO spokesperson said: "Sometimes individual researchers claim they have found something, which is of course, as such, great news. But between finding or having a clue of maybe having a vaccine that works, and having gone through all the stages, is a big difference."

The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Disease in the United States, Anthony Fauci, said that he actually hopes both China and Russia put their vaccines to test before giving it to people.

The vaccine by Vektor, EpiVacCorona, will begin by November and as at Wednesday, August 5, only three candidates have been vaccinated.

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The Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing said Russia is working on 26 more vaccines.

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