Have to assess if Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective: AIIMS Director

New Delhi, Aug 12: Russia became the first country after it announced on Tuesday that it has given statutory approval for the public use of COVID-19 vaccine.

Experts around the world have been startled after the announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Director of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria on Tuesday said that there was a need to assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine developed by Russia.

"If Russia's vaccine is successful, then we will have to see critically whether it is safe and effective. There should not be any side effects of the vaccine and it should provide good immunity and protection. India has the capacity for mass production of vaccine," Dr Guleria said.

Putin said that the vaccine offers sustainable immunity against Covid-19 and claimed his daughters had received the inoculation and felt good afterwards.

Howerver, the vaccine, named a 'Sputnik V' in homage to the world's first satellite launched by the country, has not yet completed its final trials.

Top US infectious disease official Dr Anthony Fauci said he had not heard any evidence that the vaccine was ready for widespread use.

"I hope that the Russians have actually definitively proven that the vaccine is safe and effective. I seriously doubt that they've done that," Fauci said.