Russia claims it will start a mass vaccination programme this October. Russian officials say they've tested a Covid vaccine that is both safe and effective.
Russian media quoted [health minister] Mikhail Murashko as saying that doctors and teachers would be the first to receive the vaccine.
Reuters, citing anonymous sources, said Russia's first potential vaccine would be approved by regulators this month.
However, some experts are concerned at Russia's fast-track approach.
On Friday, the leading infectious disease expert in the US, Dr Anthony Fauci, said he hoped that Russia - and China - were "actually testing the vaccine" before administering them to anyone.
Dr Fauci has said that the US should have a "safe and effective" vaccine by the end of this year.
If the West doesn't attack Russia on various other nonsense charges, now we beat them about their heads for having got a vaccine going early? FFS. "Some experts are concerned", Right. The usual cannot-be-found "experts" so beloved of US government and media. Or the "studies show" op-ed paradigm when unknown "facts" are pulled out of someone's left ear.
ReplyDeleteOne Chinese vaccine is on clinical trials in Nova Scotia by Dal Medical School and volunteers, has been for several months, Stage 2. There are other Canadian trials of different vaccines, none of which are home grown brews. Dr Antony Fauci is no legend in my mind, nor do I ascribe much to US research other than their need to coin a fast buck. Wouldn't trust their vaccines over anyone else's. Not much point making a stupid "observation" against Russia or anyone else until we see who does in fact get it right. There are supposedly over 140 efforts worldwide.
I'd say co-operation by nations rather than competition on anti-Covid-19 vaccine would be the human thing to do in this crisis. I've had American propagandizing up to the eyebrows. The place is a shadow of its former self and now spouts horse manure at every opportunity, and not just Trump's. I think Germany has just about had it with the US as well. It's about time the US minded its own business and looked after its own for a change.
Let's hope the Russian vaccine is good stuff, instead. I wish no human harm and suffering, and couldn't care less who gets there first.
BM
ReplyDeleteI would like to imagine that the community of nations could emulate the example of Drs. Banting and Best when they discovered insulin - make it freely available to the world. That, however, is unlikely in a world obsessed with monetizing everything.