, Columnist
Russia Doesn’t Really Know Whether Its Covid Vaccine Works
That could undermine confidence in Putin’s government, and in vaccines generally.
Not ready for widespread use.
Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Russia is prematurely declaring victory in the race for a vaccine against Covid-19, with potentially dangerous consequences for the Russian population.
President Vladimir Putin says his government has approved a vaccine and will start inoculating teachers and medical workers this month, before embarking on a mass vaccination effort in the fall. Yet the shot is not backed by evidence from a complete phase 3 trial, the gold standard for confirming safety and efficacy. Deciding to move ahead without this proof stands to hamper rather than help Russia’s Covid-19 response.