Russian elite given experimental Covid-19 vaccine since April

MOSCOW - Scores of Russia's business and political elite have been given early access to an experimental vaccine against Covid-19, according to people familiar with the effort, as the country races to be among the first to develop an inoculation.

Gamaleya's press office couldn't be reached immediately for comment. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who recovered from Covid-19 after being hospitalised with the virus in May, said he doesn't know the names of anyone who's received the institute's vaccine. While the new shots are"safe" because they're based on proven vaccines for other diseases, their effectiveness has yet to be determined, according to Sergei Netesov, a former executive at Vector, a state-run virology centre in Novosibirsk, Siberia, that's also working on an inoculation.Russia has reported more than 750,000 cases of Covid-19, the fourth-largest total in the world, and Gamaleya's program is on a faster track than many developers in the West.

The program under which well-connected Russians have been given the chance to volunteer for doses of the experimental vaccine is legal but kept under wraps to avoid a crush of potential participants, according to a researcher familiar with the effort. He said several hundred people have been involved. Bloomberg confirmed dozens who have had the shots but none would allow their names to be published.

One senior executive who's been inoculated said he experienced no side effects. He said the health risks are worth being able to resume normal life, both personal and professional. Other takers reported experiencing fevers and muscle aches after getting the shots.

Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

New COVID-19 cases in Russia lowest since late AprilMOSCOW: Russia, the world's fourth hardest-hit country in terms of coronavirus infections, on Monday (Jul 20) reported fewer than 6,000 new cases ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

Stranded on ships, 200,000 seafarers struggle in COVID-19 limboIndian ship worker Tejasvi Duseja is desperate to go home after months stranded offshore by coronavirus border closures and lockdowns that have ...
Source: ChannelNewsAsia - 🏆 6. / 66 Read more »

257 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, including 8 in the community[SINGAPORE] There are 257 new coronavirus cases confirmed as of Sunday noon, taking Singapore's total to 47,912. Read more at The Business Times.
Source: BusinessTimes - 🏆 15. / 51 Read more »

COVID-19: Singapore confirms 257 new cases; total now at 47912The Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed another 257 of COVID-19 infections, taking Singapore’s total to 47,912.
Source: YahooSG - 🏆 3. / 71 Read more »

257 new Covid-19 infections in Singapore, including 8 in the community and 5 imported casesSINGAPORE — The Ministry of Health on Sunday (July 19) reported 257 new cases of Covid-19, including eight in the community and five imported cases.
Source: TODAYonline - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

257 new Covid-19 cases in Singapore, including 8 in the community and 5 importedThe eight community cases comprise two Singaporeans or permanent residents and six work pass holders.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Source: The Straits Times - 🏆 8. / 63 Read more »