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Coronavirus pandemic

Several thousand COVID-19 vaccine dozes arrive to Venezuela from Russia - Maduro

According to Venezuelan president, the medicine will be free

© Alexander Demyanchuk/TASS

HAVANA, October 19. /TASS/. Several thousand dozes of Russian-made coronavirus medicine arrived to Venezuela, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said on TV Sunday.

"The Favipiravir antiviral medicine has arrived from Russia. […] Thousands of dozes arrived have arrive from Russia to save lives," the president said, adding that this medicine is especially efficient for treatment of patients in severe condition.

According to Maduro, the medicine will be free for Venezuela.

In early October, Russia shipped the first batch of its Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to Venezuela. According to the Venezuelan authorities, the republic will take part in the third part of the vaccine’s testing and it also plans to set up the vaccine’s production.

On August 11, Russia became the first country in the world to register a COVID-19 vaccine, the Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleia Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.

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