Russia is prepared to provide its own coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, to countries in need, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday in his address to the virtual G20 Riyadh Summit.
“Effective and safe vaccines should be available to everyone and Russia is ready to provide its coronavirus vaccines to the countries in need… Russia supports the summit’s draft decision aimed at making effective and safe vaccines available to everyone… Undoubtedly, vaccines should belong to the entire public,” Putin said, according to the Kremlin.
“Our country, Russia, is ready to provide the countries in need with the vaccines developed by our researchers. This is the world’s first registered vaccine Sputnik V, based on human adenoviral vectors platform. The second Russian vaccine, EpiVacCorona from a Novosibirsk research centre, is also ready. The third Russian vaccine is coming,” he added.
Russia had announced on November 9 that Sputnik V was more than 90 percent effective.
Putin said: “The scale of the pandemic compels us to engage all the resources and research available. Our common goal is to form portfolios of vaccines and ensure reliable protection for the planet’s population. It means that there will be enough work for everyone, colleagues, and I think it is a case when competition may be inevitable but we must proceed primarily from humanitarian considerations and make it a priority.”
The COVID-19 virus has infected over 57.7 million people and claimed the lives of more than 1.38 million. And tens of thousands more deaths are feared in the coming months, with the onset of cold weather and the holidays.
Source : Agencies
