MOSCOW, August 15. /TASS/. Russia has begun production of the novel coronavirus vaccine developed by the N. F. Gamaleya Federal Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, the Russian Health Ministry’s press service told reporters on Saturday.

"The production of the vaccine against the novel coronavirus COVID-19, developed by the N. F. Gamaleya Federal Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, has begun," the message says.

On August 11, Russia became the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine, which was named Sputnik V. Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko informed that the vaccine created by the N. F. Gamaleya Federal Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology had shown its effectiveness and safety on the outcomes of clinical trials. It was created on a platform that had been used for the development of a number of other vaccines. According to the Russian Health Ministry, experience shows that such vaccines are capable of developing long-term immunity that lasts for up to two years. Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev pointed out that Russia had received applications for more than 1 bln doses of the vaccine from 20 countries.