More than 150,000 vaccinated against COVID-19 in Russia

More than 150,000 Russian citizens have been immunized against the coronavirus with the “Sputnik V” vaccine, reported the head of the Gamaleya Research Institute Alexander Gintsburg on Thursday, December 10.

“This is the highest number of people vaccinated against COVID-19, [higher] than in any other country in the world using any other similar [vaccine],” he said, as quoted by RIA Novosti. 

In turn, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova promised that immunization against the coronavirus will begin in all of Russia’s regions before the end of the week.

On Wednesday, December 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the government to start large-scale vaccination against the coronavirus in Russia “next week.” Vaccination centers offering Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine began immunizing high-risk groups in Moscow on December 5.

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine is currently undergoing Phase III clinical trials, involving 40,000 volunteers. On November 24, the researchers developing the vaccine reported that it has shown more than 95 percent effectiveness.