Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the registration of a vaccine against Covid-19, which the Russian government claims produce long-lasting immunity against the new coronavirus. However, our health specialists have asked that the president’s announcement be taken with caution and that they do not lower their guard against the advance of the virus.
Regarding this, the former Minister of Health and member of the Committee of Experts, Patricia García, indicated that what was announced by the Russian president is a sample of how world powers continue to compete to show their hegemony, even in a pandemic. Therefore, she asked to be careful about the announcement that has caused so much commotion.
«The times we are living in are complicated, they are almost war times and one thing that is happening is that countries are beginning to try to show their hegemony by saying they have the vaccine or by pushing the issue. (…) That is why I believe that this news is to show the politicization of public health, ”he said in an interview with Latina Noticias.
García also added that no data had been published on this vaccine or on those corresponding to the phase 2 trials, which other laboratories in charge of the vaccine project have. Therefore, she described the announcement as «irresponsible.»
In the same way, the doctor Elmer Huerta explained the little knowledge that there is of the development of this vaccine and its publication in a scientific journal. He questioned the short time for progress and testing of this Russian vaccine.
”There is no information on safety and effectiveness. From a scientific point of view, what is known is very little, because they have not published any scientific study on the development of their vaccine, «the epidemiologist told América TV.
He explained that the process to develop the virus takes between four to five months, but the Russian study began with humans on June 1 and that its phase 2 was completed on August 3. It is not known how effective it has been in infected patients due to the lack of data from clinical trials.
The infectologist and vice dean of the Medical College of Peru, Ciro Maguiña, expressed his point of view in his statements to Radio Exitosa. He considered that although the Russian vaccine is a great initiative in the scientific world, behind the announcement there was also an undeniable political intention.
“They are good wishes, but it is not reality. The vaccine has to have proven efficacy and safety for months, but we don’t have it yet. We must be cautious with this, no matter how Putin is or not Putin, I think it is important for science, it is a vaccine, but I think that is simply a good political wish, obviously behind it is all,» he said.
He also referred to the possible return of the generalized quarantine in the country, to which he rejected the idea. He declared that in recent weeks important lessons have been left to take into account since for economic or social reasons people have left in a disorderly manner causing the level of contagion to grow.