Russia claims world's first coronavirus vaccine 'Sputnik V', Putin's daughter inoculated
New Delhi : Russia on Tuesday declared itself as the world's first nation to approve coronavirus vaccine with Vladimir Putin's own daughter getting vaccinated with it.
Russian officials have claimed that the vaccine is safe and provided stable immunity to the humans.
However, the West countries have raised doubts over the speed of development of vaccine, claiming that several important aspects may have been compromised under the pressure from authorities to deliver.
The World Health Organization said any WHO stamp of approval on a COVID-19 vaccine candidate would require a rigorous safety data review.
"We are in close contact with the Russian health authorities and discussions are ongoing with respect to possible WHO pre-qualification of the vaccine," said the UN agency's spokesman Tarik Jasarevic in Geneva.
Putin in a televised video conference call with government ministers said, "This morning, for the first time in the world, a vaccine against the new coronavirus was registered."
"I know that it is quite effective, that it gives sustainable immunity," he added.
He also mentioned that one of his daughters has also been inoculated with the vaccine. "In this sense she took part in the experiment," Putin said, adding that she had a slight temperature after a second injection and "that's all".
WHO had requested Russia last week to follow all the processes and stages for developing a safe vaccine.
Spokesman Christian Lindmeier told reporters at the time that the WHO had not been officially notified of any Russian vaccine on the verge of being deployed.
Experts said they were concerned that not enough was known about Russia's research.
"There seems to be rather little detail thus far on Russian (vaccine) candidates," said Danny Altmann, a professor of Immunology at Imperial College London.
"The collateral damage from release of any vaccine that was less than safe and effective could exacerbate our current problems insurmountably."
