Kazakhstan has signed a deal to get supplies of Russia’s first potential COVID-19 vaccine once clinical trials are complete, Kazakhstan’s government said yesterday, according to Interfax-Kazakhstan.
Kyrgyzstan’s AKIPress says the agreement of mutual understanding on guaranteed allocation of Sputnik V vaccine was signed between the Russian Direct Investment Fund and Kazakhstan’s SK Pharmacy.
Under the deal, Kazakhstan will buy more than 2 million doses of the “Sputnik V” vaccine against coronavirus initially and could later increase the volume to 5 million doses, Kirill Dmitriyev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) that is backing the vaccine, said.
The sides did not disclose the price of the deal. The Kazakhstan government said the vaccine would be made available to at-risk Kazakh citizens free of charge.
The vaccine is called “Sputnik V” in homage to the world’s first satellite launched by the Soviet Union. It has been hailed as safe and effective by Russian authorities and scientists following two months of small-scale human trials.
Meanwhile, Western experts have been more skeptical, warning against its use until all internationally approved testing and regulatory steps have been seen to be taken and proved a success.
