Russia has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine and said that mass production should begin in September. The Russians expect to be capable of producing 5 million doses per month by December or January. The world’s first coronavirus vaccine to be declared ready for general use has been named “Sputnik V”, a subtle reminder of how the Russians also won the first round of the space race in 1957. It was developed by the Gamaleya research institute for epidemiology and microbiology in Moscow in coordination with the Russian defense ministry. Western scientists have expressed caution over the new vaccine, warning that moving too quickly in such cases can be dangerous. But president Vladimir Putin insists Sputnik is safe and had it injected into his own daughter. Final clinical trials started last week.
