Last mid-August, Russia produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, the Sputnik V. Named after the Soviet-era satellite that was first launched into space in 1957, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced it had been first in the world to approve a vaccine for COVID-19 even as it has yet to complete the final stage of clinical trials to test its safety and efficacy. Thank you, Mother Russia!

The vaccine was developed by the Gamelaya research institute for epidemiology and microbiology in Moscow in coordination with the Russian defense ministry.

For those who are curious, allegedly, here’s the first look of the Russian vaccine:

Russia says that initial tests of the vaccine show that it is “quite effective.” It is now working to manufacture vaccines not only in Russia but in five other countries and aims to make the vaccine available to many countries in late November and December.

However, there are doubts as to Russia’s claims that it had developed a COVID-19 vaccine ready for use, citing the lack of transparency in trials and data that would prove the vaccine to be effective.

Many are allegedly reporting conflicting results upon taking the Russian vaccine:

We can only hope and pray that this vaccine works because who knows what other viruses China has in store for the world.

Russia, on the other hand, maintained that Sputnik V vaccine has “proven to be highly effective and safe” and is a major step towards “humankind’s victory” against the COVID-19 pandemic. Apparently, data showed that 100 percent of those who participated in Phase 1 and 2 of its clinical trials have developed “very strong immunity.”

This is very reassuring indeed as the Philippines is poised to take part in the vaccine’s clinical trials. In fact, its developers are targeting up to 1,000 Filipinos to participate in phase 3 clinical trials.

What do you think about this development? Will you volunteer for the Russian vaccine clinical trial?

Sige na.