(JUST THE NEWS) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday announced the approval of a coronavirus vaccine, making it the world’s first vaccine available to treat the novel virus. There is, however, ongoing concern over the safety and efficacy of the Russian vaccine.
“A vaccine against coronavirus has been registered for the first time in the world this morning. I know that it works quite effectively, it forms a stable immunity,” Putin said on state TV Aug. 11.
The vaccine, called Sputnik-V — a reference to the 1957 surprise launch of the world’s first satellite by the Soviet Union — was developed by the Gamaleya Institute, based in Moscow.
