The World Health Organization (WHO) is in close contact with Russia regarding a possible pre-qualification of the world's first COVID-19 vaccine, a WHO spokesman said.

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"We are in close contact with the Russian health authorities and discussions are underway regarding a possible pre-qualification of the vaccine by WHO," the WHO spokesman said at a virtual press briefing on August 11, Xinhua news agency reported. "The pre-qualification of any vaccine involves rigorous review and evaluation of all the data required for safety and efficacy" in clinical trials, said Jasarevic, adding that at the WHO level, this process would be the same for any vaccine candidate. "Each country has national regulatory bodies that approve the use of vaccines or drugs in its territory," he said. "Manufacturers are asking for WHO pre-qualification because it is a kind of seal of quality."

The Russian President said August 11 that his country has registered the world's first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. He said he hoped that the mass production of the vaccine registered in Russia should begin in the near future, and vaccination will be available to everyone in the country voluntarily. The Russian Deputy Prime Minister said that she expected the production of the vaccine to start at the end of August or the beginning of September and health workers will be the first to be vaccinated.