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Belarus to be first country to get Russia's coronavirus vaccine

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ORSHA, 28 August (BelTA) – The presidents of Belarus and Russia agreed that Belarus will be the first country to receive Russia's coronavirus vaccine, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he talked to the staff of the Savushkin-Orsha company on 28 August, BelTA has learned.

“We have agreed with Putin about it. It was the Russian president who suggested it. They have already done Phase I and Phase II trials. This vaccine was developed by the Gamaleya institute [the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of Russia's Ministry of Health]. I believe him [the Russian president] for a reason: he tested this vaccine on his family. Therefore, we agreed that we will join them in this work. They have carried out this work very scrupulously. Many famous oligarchs have received this vaccine,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In his words, many countries have already signed contracts to purchase this vaccine when its mass production will begin after the Phase III trials. “President Putin promised me that Belarus will be the first if our government wants it. Therefore, there is no need to worry. We will try not only the Russian vaccine. We will see other options too. However it should be admitted that Russians, Chinese and Americans are ahead of others in the development and manufacturing of vaccines,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

The head of state is convinced that Russia developed a good vaccine.

When asked about the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that Belarus chose not to impose lockdowns and this coronavirus response strategy proved right. The inefficiency of lockdowns has already been admitted by the World Health Organization.

“It took months to realize that Lukashenko did the right thing when he chose not to suspend production and not to isolate you. We adapted to this life, our immunity fought this infection all the time,” the president said.

However, he urged people to take care of themselves as much as possible. “If you are somewhere in a supermarket, a pharmacy, in a company of strangers (not outside), do not hesitate to put on a mask,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

In addition, the president reminded of the need to continue sanitizing public transport and recommended people to be outdoors more often and to do sports.

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