The World Health Organization (WHO) is interested in the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, its chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan told RIA Novosti.
"We are aware that tests are being conducted (for the coronavirus medicine. —. ed.) of Avifavir. There are two or three drug tests going on, so we are waiting for the results. But, in addition, we are also interested in the Russian vaccine," she said.
Swaminathan recalled that the WHO has a program called "Solidarity Tests" aimed at exchanging data on drugs and vaccines for the coronavirus infection. She also expressed hope that Russian scientists would agree to cooperate.
Currently, Russia does not participate in the " Solidarity Tests". According to the agency, the United States, Great Britain, China and France also did not join the program.
Earlier, the General Director of the Vector center, Rinat Maksyutov, told RIA Novosti that three prototypes of the coronavirus vaccine developed at the center had successfully passed tests. In addition, a vaccine created by the Gamalei Research center and the Ministry of Defense is currently being tested.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. According to the latest WHO data, more than 10.9 million cases of the infection were detected in the world, and more than 523 thousand people died.
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