Russia begins COVID-19 vaccine's production: Reports

Russian health ministry said that it has started the production of coronavirus vaccine dubbed as 'Sputnik V'. Russia on Tuesday became the first country to approve the coronavirus vaccine for use in tens of thousands of its citizens despite international skepticism about injections that have not completed clinical trials and were studied in only dozens of people for less than two months.

Moscow: Russia has started production of its newly-registered coronavirus vaccine, media reports said citing the country's health ministry.

On Tuesday, Russia approved a coronavirus vaccine for use in tens of thousands of its citizens despite international skepticism.

President Vladimir Putin said while announcing the approval that one of his two adult daughters already was inoculated. He said the vaccine underwent the necessary tests and was shown to provide lasting immunity to the coronavirus, although Russian authorities have offered no proof to back up the claim of its safety or effectiveness.

The result of the final medical examination of participants in clinical trials of the vaccine showed that all volunteers had a clear immune response resulting from vaccination.

However, scientists in Russia and other countries sounded an alarm, saying that rushing to offer the vaccine before Phase 3 trials — which normally last for months and involve tens of thousands of people — could backfire.