Reuters reports that The World Health Organisation has not received enough information on the Russian Covid-19 vaccine to evaluate it, the assistant director of its regional branch, the Pan American Health Organisation, Jarbas Barbosa, said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, AFP reports that any WHO stamp of approval on a Covid-19 vaccine candidate would require a rigorous safety data review, after Russia announced Tuesday it had approved a vaccine. President Vladimir Putin said Russia had become the first country to approve a vaccine offering "sustainable immunity" against the new coronavirus. Russia's Sputnik V vaccine has been developed by the Gamaleya research institute in coordination with the country's defence ministry. Until Tuesday, the World Health Organisation had hailed New Zealand as an example to others for having "successfully eliminated community transmission".

Source: News 24 August 11, 2020 16:53 UTC