Russia likely to approve World’s first Covid-19 vaccine in less than two weeks

Russia is most likely to approve their first COVID-19 vaccine for public use by mid August despite concerns about its safety and effectiveness. According to CNN, Russian officials are working toward a date of August 10 or earlier for approval of the vaccine, which has been created by the Moscow-based Gamaleya Institute. Russians scientists say the vaccine has been quick to develop because it is a modified version of one already created to fight against other diseases.

Russia's defense ministry says that Russian soldiers served as volunteers in human trials.The Russian health ministry says frontline medical staff will be first to be vaccinated once the new drug has been approved for public use. Dozens of vaccine trials are underway around the world and a small number are in large-scale efficacy trials, but most developers have cautioned that much work remains before their vaccines can be approved. 

On Monday, Moderna and Pfizer announced the commencement of the final phase 3 trials of their candidate vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has so far claimed at least 654,477 lives and infected 16,514,500 people worldwide. Researchers will recruit up to 30,000 volunteers in separate trials both backed by the US government. India's first indigenous coronavirus vaccine, COVAXIN, is undergoing phase 1 human clinical trials across the country.