In the latest news on the global pandemic front, Russian President Vladimir Putin today revealed that his country has just formally approved a new COVID-19 vaccine, making it the first nation to do so.
But given that clinical trials for the inoculation haven't even been fully completed yet, officials all over the world are apprehensive about distributing it to the masses — including, apparently, Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
When asked at his press conference Tuesday about his thoughts on what the Russians are going to sell internationally as Sputnik V, Ford indicated that he won't be rushing to get his hands on the vaccine for Ontario residents anytime soon.
I'd call it Smirnoff V as it's going to have just as much as an effect.
— ЛЭ (@Khyron_ZA) August 11, 2020
"I always say I only trust the person I shave in the morning," he started. "But in saying that, I trust Canada Health, I trust Ontario Health, I trust the Ministry of Health in Ontario, that's who I trust. I trust our doctors."
"If they have a vaccine and they're going to spread it around the world, God bless them, good for the Russians — but I would get approval from Health Canada and our Ministry of Health and Ontario Health."
Following the green light from these domestic bodies, Ford would ostensibly support offering the shot to Ontarians.
Premier Ford says about the Russian vaccine:
— Colin D'Mello CTVNews (@ColinDMello) August 11, 2020
"If they have a vaccine and want to spread it around the world then ... god bless them." (He notes Health Canada would have approve it)
Asked whether he trusts it:
"I only trust the person I shave in the morning"#onpoli
According to Reuters, Sputnik V will be administered to heathcare workers in Russia on a voluntary basis over the next few weeks and will be mass-produced by December. Clinical trials are pending in several other countries as well.
The government has allegedly already received requests for a billion doses of the vaccine that was created by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology.
"A vaccine against coronavirus has been registered for the first time in the world this morning," Putin said on state TV today, per CNN. "I know that it works quite effectively, it forms a stable immunity."
If I don't trust my own country to produce a legit vaccine in that time frame I sure as hell don't trust Putin and Russia
— Mauricio Campos (@HollywoodMAC24) August 11, 2020
Anyone who has re-watched the HBO series Chernobyl lately, has been following how Russia has been faring with the virus or knows enough about the country's history with telling the truth may be understandably wary of the Kremlin's claims — and of getting the vaccine before proper Phase 3 trials are completed.
by Becky Robertson via blogTO
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