Shawdesh Desk:

In some good news for millions living in hope for a Covid-19 vaccine shot, the Russian Health Ministry said on Tuesday that the first batch of Sputnik V vaccine has been produced for civilian circulation.

The supplies of the medication to the Russian regions are expected soon, the Health Ministry told reporters, reports Tass news agency.

“The first batch of the vaccine for preventing the novel coronavirus infection, Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Health Ministry passed the required quality tests and was produced for civilian circulation.

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko earlier explained that civilian production at this stage meant vaccination of citizens from the risk groups, mainly teachers and doctors.

Earlier this month, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet said a Russian Covid-19 vaccine has shown no serious side effects and elicited an immune response in early human trials, reports IANS.

Russia last month registered the “Sputnik V”, becoming the first country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine.

On August 15, the Russian Health Ministry announced the launch of the vaccine production.