COVID-19 vaccinations for volunteers within post-registration trials will start this week, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said in a statement.
"This week, we will launch the vaccination of volunteers who’ll take part in Phase III of the clinical trials. Next week, the first deliveries of the vaccine will be launched, these will be small batches yet, as we need to respect the interests of all those involved", Murashko told reporters.
According to the Health Ministry, the vaccine is expected to initially be distributed among special groups, such as healthcare workers and teachers, before gradually expanding to the general populace.
31 August 2020, 12:30 GMT
Russia has registered 1,025,505 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 17,820 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organisation's dashboard.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on 6 September expressed hope that the majority of the Russian capital's residents would be vaccinated against the coronavirus within several months.
The Russian vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research institute, was named Sputnik V and registered on 11 August. Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed the vaccine, saying it has passed all the necessary verifications.
