The Ministry of Health of Belarus has issued a registration certificate for the use of the ‘Sputnik V’ vaccine in the country. Health workers, teachers, trade workers and other people who have to communicate with a large number of people will be the first to receive a free vaccine shot. The vaccination will begin in January, the Ministry of Health wrote in the official Telegram channel.
“By the agreement of the two heads of state, we became the first country to take part in the clinical trials of the ‘Sputnik V’ vaccine. Today we can officially declare that, according to the available data, the vaccine is safe and effective, no serious or unexpected side effects have been registered,” said Minister of Health Dzmitry Pinevich.
The registration dossier for the vaccine was submitted to the Center for Expertise and Testing of the Ministry of Health in November 2020. The vaccine study was conducted at four clinical sites and involved 100 people.
However, it will be possible to have the first significant results only 180 ± 14 days after the introduction of the first dose of the experimental drug. This will be followed by a final report.
“The first batch of vaccine will arrive in January, and we will start the vaccination campaign in January. At the first stage, health workers, teachers, workers in trade and other spheres who, due to their profession, are forced to comunicate with a large number of people, will be subject to vaccination. The vaccine can be used on the territory of our country already within the framework of not clinical trials, but ordinary work. We now discuss details of further delivery,” the minister said.
