Russia to prepare 70 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, lead scientist hopes it will provide immunity for more than 2 years

Russia's homegrown Covid-19 vaccine will create immunity for more than two years, according to the director of Moscow's Gamaleya Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, which developed the drug with the Ministry of Defense.

Alexander Gintsburg, the research center's director, explained that the vaccine will be administered to humans twice – including a so-called secondary ‘booster’ injection. According to the scientist, the effectiveness of this method was proven by the center's work in Guinea, where they conducted vaccinations against Ebola.

Up to 70 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine will be required for mass immunization of Russians against coronavirus, said Gintsburg. Along with the authorities, the country's health organizations are already planning a quick ramping-up of large-scale production in order to meet this demand.

Clinical trials of the vaccine are expected to be completed by the end of July. If successful, the drug will be officially registered, produced, and distributed throughout the country.

Gintsburg and his team made international headlines earlier this month, when it was revealed that scientists at the Gamaleya Institute had successfully tested the vaccine on themselves, with no side effects.

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