Russian military personnel stationed at the Syrian Hmeimim base have commenced vaccination against the novel coronavirus.
Sputnik agency reported that Vladimir Radchenko, the head of health for the Russian troops in Syria, announced to journalists the initiation of vaccination using the COVID-19 vaccine for Russian servicemen at the Hmeimim base. Radchenko explained that the planned vaccination campaign for the troops is being conducted using the "Sputnik V" vaccine, noting that a sufficient quantity of the vaccine has arrived and that soldiers are receiving the vaccine voluntarily.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had instructed the start of a widespread vaccination campaign against COVID-19, prioritizing vaccinations for citizens classified as the "most vulnerable group." Last month, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu mentioned that an additional 100,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine would be delivered to the Russian military by the end of 2020.
Russia announced the registration of the world’s first vaccine against COVID-19 in August 2020, and to date, two vaccines have been registered: the first is "Sputnik V," developed by the Gamaleya Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, and the second is named "EpiVacCorona," developed by the state "Vector" center.
It is noteworthy that recently, the pace of recognition of the first Russian vaccine has increased in various countries around the world, despite intense competition from major producers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. Several Latin American countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Venezuela, have officially approved the use of the "Sputnik V" vaccine, while production of the vaccine has begun in Brazil with plans to expand to meet regional needs.
In the Arab region, the Russian vaccine has been approved in addition to the UAE, Algeria, and Palestine, while clinical trials for the vaccine continue in Egypt, which has expressed interest in producing "Sputnik V" on its territory. The Russian vaccine has also been officially approved for emergency use in Serbia, Turkmenistan, and Belarus.
Additionally, the World Health Organization announced that it is studying the registration of the two Russian vaccines, "Sputnik V" and "EpiVacCorona," among a list of 14 vaccines against the novel coronavirus.
