On Wednesday, the Russian Health Ministry stated that clinical trials have started in the country to create safe COVID-19 vaccines for novel coronavirus. The Ministry`s statement said the two types of vaccines (liquid and powder) produced by the Gamaleya Research Institute, headquartered in Moscow, will be tested on two participant classes, each with 38 volunteers.
The two groups of volunteers – both military and civilians – have been selected to test the protection and efficacy of the novel coronavirus vaccine, according to Russia’s leading news agency TASS. Professor Alexander Gintsburg, Director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology said the trials would take about 1.5 months. Two Moscow hospitals are used to separate participant who receives the vaccine twice at an interval of 21 days.
Professor Gintsburg had previously said that this autumn in Russia, although the process could take up to nine months, mass vaccination with the new coronavirus can commence.
Small and large animals have also been tested for the experimental vaccine. According to Russian media, at least seven research facilities currently work on the vaccines for coronavirus.
