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Coronavirus pandemic

Uzbekistan receives first samples of Sputnik V vaccine

The volume of vaccines produced will soon reach 2 mln doses

© Valery Sharufulin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 4. /TASS/. Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry has reported that first samples of the Sputnik V vaccine had arrived in Uzbekistan in order to conduct trials before its subsequent industrial production, the Ministry’s website reported on Friday.

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"Industry and Trade Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov personally delivered to the republic’s capital samples of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19. The valuable cargo was received by Deputy Head of the Service for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan Holmamat Norboyev. The samples were submitted to the Uzbek side in order to conduct the trials necessary to obtain registration and launch industrial production of the vaccine in Uzbekistan," the statement said.

Additionally, the agency reported that the volume of vaccines produced will soon reach 2 mln doses which would allow to launch inoculation in Russia.

The Sputnik V vaccine

On August 11, Russia became the first worldwide to register the vaccine against the coronavirus which was named Sputnik V. The preparation was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry. Post-registration trials began in Moscow on September 7, the first vaccine was administered to volunteers on September 9. In all, 40,000 people participate in the program, with 10,000 of them receiving a placebo instead of the vaccine.

The effectiveness of the Sputnik V vaccine, according to the interim trial results, surpasses 95% on Day 42 after administration of a first dose of the preparation if a patient receives a second dose.

Requests to obtain over 1.2 bln doses of the Sputnik V vaccine were received from over 50 countries. The vaccine for foreign markets will be manufactured by international partners in India, Brazil, China, South Korea, and other countries.

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