MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. The dialogue with the World Health Organization (WHO) on recognizing the Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus has been established, the jab may be certified in the near future, according to head of the laboratory of mechanisms of population variability of pathogenic microorganisms of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Vladimir Gushchin.
"The issue with the WHO is basically the issue of submitting documents and of accepting the procedure we have established in the Russian Federation, its recognition by the WHO. Now we are practically on the homestretch, the dialogue has been established - it is clear what needs to be prepared for the WHO to certify the vaccine soon. I think, in the near future we will receive the certification by the WHO," he said live on air within the framework of an awareness campaign on vaccines organized by the Znanie (Knowledge) Society and the national anti-coronavirus campaign.
The expert also noted that about 70 countries have already recognized Sputnik V. "Actually, this (the WHO certification - TASS) will rather be significant, probably, for those people who travel a lot. For those who don’t travel much the main task now is to get inoculated and to protect themselves in Russia," he concluded.
On October 1, Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, following his meeting with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that all barriers for the organization to certify Sputnik V had been removed. To date, the WHO has recommended seven vaccines for emergency use, the applications for the certification of another 13 jabs, including Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona, are still pending.