A Russian agency announced today, Friday, the production of the world's first batch of COVID-19 vaccines for animals, with several countries expressing interest in obtaining it. The Russian agricultural watchdog, "Rosselkhoznadzor," stated that the country has produced the first batch in the world, containing 17,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for animals.
The vaccine, named "Carnivac-Cov," was registered in Russia in March and developed by the Federal Center for Animal Health after trials showed its ability to produce antibodies for COVID-19 in dogs, cats, foxes, and minks, according to Reuters. "Carnivac-Cov" is the first and only vaccine of its kind in the world specifically for immunizing animals.
The agricultural watchdog clarified in a statement that the first batch will be supplied to several Russian regions. Additionally, companies from Germany, Greece, Poland, Austria, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Lebanon, Iran, and Argentina have shown interest in purchasing the vaccine. The agency indicated that the vaccine will be capable of protecting endangered species and preventing virus mutations. It is noteworthy that the World Health Organization has expressed concern over the risks of virus transmission between humans and animals.
