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The authorities explained that for maximum effect, the immunization agents have to be injected in the body in a period of two to three weeks to allow the immune system to adapt to the new substance.
Russian authorities announced on Wednesday that the firsts lot of the COVID-19 vaccine would come out in two weeks as it is a priority to immunize the health staff working in the frontline.
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The country's first COVID-19 vaccine can be used for people aged 18 to 60 years old, and its production will be at first domestic-oriented, geared to covering internal demands. At the same time, the Russian Fund of Direct Investment (RDIF) negotiates the vaccine abroad.
Russia's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has reassured that 20 percent of health staff is now immune to the virus.
The authorities explained that for maximum effect, the immunization agents have to be injected in the body in a period of two to three weeks to allow the immune system to adapt to the new substance.
More facts about first #COVID19 #Vaccine Registered in Russia #RussianVaccine https://t.co/H2Jv1CObwN
— Dmitry Polyanskiy (@Dpol_un) August 11, 2020
Hence, the vaccine will be administrated through two injections. First, with a vial marked blue and then three weeks later, from a vial marked red. Each dose has a different type of adenovirus used to deliver the vaccine to the body's cells.
Since the announcement on Tuesday, there have been critics of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine called "Sputnik V". In response, Alexander Ginstburg, head of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, said that the vaccine is based on a research platform decades-long, and the vaccine will be monitored. Moreover, the inoculation results will be traced and examined.
"The platform has been in development for 25 years for gene therapy, but at the end of 2014, it was used to create drugs to fight the most rapidly changing viruses," Gintsburg said.
"The same platform was used to develop vaccines against Ebola, MERS [Middle East Respiratory Syndrome], and several other diseases. It allowed the creation of an Ebola vaccine within a fairly short period of 15 months, which later was highly assessed by the WHO [World Health Organization]," the official added.
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