Public relations, politics and a hunger for global prestige have played a striking part in Russia’s unveiling and rollout of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, which teachers, medics and other key workers were offered for the first time at Moscow clinics this weekend. Putin hailed Sputnik V as the world’s first registered Covid-19 vaccine in August, when Russian regulators approved it before phase 3 clinical trials had even begun. The sense of competition is clear: even the name that Moscow chose for its first Covid-19 vaccine evokes Soviet superpower might, the Cold War space race and a time – perhaps the last time – when Russian science led the world. Putin’s 20 years of political repression and gross corruption have delivered no great innovation – there is no Russian Apple, Nokia, Skype or Samsung. A recent survey showed 59 per cent of Russians are unwilling to take a coronavirus vaccine – a clear signal to the Kremlin that no amount of propaganda can secure real public trust.

Source: The Irish Times December 07, 2020 00:00 UTC