Russia claims Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine is 92 percent effective
	Russia’s Sputnik V is over 90 percent effective
	First group of elderly volunteers injected with Sputnik V vaccine

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has stated one of his daughters has participated in a clinical trial for the vaccine. (Photo: Reuters)

The country launched a voluntary vaccination programme with the Russia-made vaccine earlier in December, starting with the most vulnerable groups in Moscow.

“He said he will be vaccinated, he made this decision and was waiting until all formalities are completed," the spokesman was quoted as saying to Rossiya 1 TV Channel on its website.

The country launched a voluntary vaccination programme with the Russia-made vaccine earlier in December, starting with the most vulnerable groups in Moscow.

People over the age of 60 may begin to apply for shots on Monday, Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said on his website on Sunday, a day after the Russian health ministry said the vaccine was approved for use by elderly people following a separate trial, Guardian reported.

Putin, 68, had said earlier that Sputnik V was effective and safe, seeing no reason for people not to be vaccinated, adding he was waiting until it became available.

Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in Russia, Putin has mainly worked remotely, held meetings via videolink and has limited travel.

In August he said one of his daughters had taken part in the clinical trial of the vaccine and felt well afterward.

Moscow citizens over 60 to receive COVID-19 vaccine next week (Photo: TASS)

COVID-19 situation in Russia

Meanwhile, according to the Times of Israel, Russia on Saturday passed three million confirmed coronavirus infections, as authorities hold out against reimposing a national lockdown while the country is battered by a second wave.

Looking to protect a suffering economy, Moscow has so far refused to order a new nationwide lockdown, aiming instead to protect people with mass vaccinations using its homegrown Sputnik V shot.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on public TV Saturday that the vaccine is “safe and effective” for general use, authorizing it to be given to the over 60s.

Sputnik V vaccine (Photo: TASS)

Official figures on Sunday showed that a total of 3,050,248 cases have been detected, with 54,778 deaths. Since winter began, each week has brought new records for new cases and deaths, with epicenters in capital Moscow and second-largest city Saint Petersburg.

Poorer regions of the country, often less well-equipped with medical facilities, also report a troubling picture.

Nevertheless, official figures point to a lower death rate from the virus in Russia than in western Europe or the United States, something President Vladimir Putin has boasted about for months.

In the meantime, inoculation against the coronavirus with Sputnik V will begin in Argentina on December 29. By December 28, doses of the Sputnik V vaccine will be delivered to all Argentine provinces, TASS reported.

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