Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Tuesday that his nation has developed and registered the first effective vaccine for protection against COVID-19.
Putin insists the vaccine has gone through full testing and says it provides “sustained immunity” against the novel coronavirus.
“I would like to repeat that it has passed all the necessary tests,” Putin said in a video call with Russian ministers. “The most important thing is to ensure full safety of using the vaccine and its efficiency.”
He noted that one of his grown daughters has received the vaccine and experienced a mild, short-lived increase in body temperature. She now “has high number of antibodies,” he said.
Experts around the world warned the vaccine has not yet undergone phase three trials, which are considered requisite for verifying the safety and efficacy of any vaccine. They last for months and involve tens of thousands of people. Russia’s vaccine has been tested in only 76 people, starting on June 17, according to the Associated Press.