Russia’s “New” Vaccine: can we trust it?

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the stakes to develop a vaccine couldn’t be higher, however it should be noted that the necessary scientific and safety protocols aren’t being followed by some of those involved in this race to develop said vaccine.

Recently the Russian Federation’s health ministry has announced that they have given regulatory approval for what they claim is the first COVID-19 vaccine in the world, which was “developed” by Moscow’s Gamleya Institute. It should be noted that the Russian authorities have said that medical workers, teachers and other risk groups will be the first to be inoculated. Although President Vladimir Putin emphasized that the vaccine underwent the “necessary” tests, adding that one of his two daughters has received a shot of this vaccine, the effectiveness of this Russian vaccine is questionable at best.

It should be noted that this vaccine has only been tested for less than two months, leading to criticism from the global scientific community for rushing an extremely sensitive procedure. The speed at which the Russian Federation is moving to roll out this vaccine highlights its determination to win the global race for an effective “cure” but has stirred that it might be putting national prestige before science and safety. Additionally, this controversial move can be seen as a political move to boost President Putin’s popularity given that he has been criticized by the Russian general public and medical workers for his extremely flawed COVID-19 response strategy.

In conclusion, one cannot predict how effective this vaccine might be, however we can only hope for the best.