President Putin Is Ready To Become A Participant, Russia Will Use The COVID-19 Nasal Vaccine After Passing Clinical Trials

Research illustration. (Unsplash/@nci)

JAKARTA - Russia continues to develop a COVID-19 nasal vaccine, with permission for a second clinical trial that has been issued by the relevant ministry and President Vladimir Putin wants to take part in a clinical trial of this vaccine.

The latest, nasal vaccine is said to have minimal side effects and its use will allow ensuring extra protection in the upper respiratory tract, Deputy Director of the Gamaleya National Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Research, Denis Logunov, said on Sunday.

"It (the use of nasal vaccines) is convenient for vaccination. It is painless, with an absolute minimum of side effects. In addition, it will allow to achieve the main goal, develop systemic immunity after primary vaccination and create an additional barrier in the upper respiratory tract after immunization additional intranasal", he explained during a meeting with President Putin, citing TASS November 22.

According to Logunov, the use of the nasal vaccine will begin as soon as the vaccine passes clinical trials.

In October, the Gamaleya Center received permission from the Russian Ministry of Health for the second phase of clinical trials of the nasal form of a coronavirus vaccine. Center director Alexander Ginsburg said that the nose shape would be an addition to the regular vaccine to ensure an extra barrier against infection.

President Vladimir Putin. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/The Presidential Press and Information Office)

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wanted to take part in tests of a nasal coronavirus vaccine developed by Russia's Gamaleya Center.

"Can I take part in this experiment?", President Putin asked Logunov, after he informed the president of the Center's new developments.

"Of course", replied Logunov, adding that President Putin would have to sign a written agreement to do so.

"I will sign it. OK. I will sign without fail. We can do it today", said President Putin.

President Putin also told Logunov that he had received a third dose of vaccination or a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine using the Sputnik Light vaccine and was feeling well.

However, a Kremlin spokesman said President Putin would take part in the clinical trial after doctors gave medical approval.

President Vladimir Putin was not involved in the trial, because he received a booster shot with Sputnik Light on Sunday, Peskov said.

"So far the President has only expressed readiness (to test the nasal vaccine). He got his second vaccine shot recently, so he won't be able to do the nasal one", Peskov said.

"President Putin expressed his readiness to follow the process of testing the nasal vaccine. It will happen in due course after doctors conclude that it can be done", he assured.

President Putin is feeling fine after receiving a booster shot, going into the workday on Monday. "He just had a meeting", said Peskov.

To note, President Vladimir Putin received his COVID-19 vaccination last spring, with the first dose administered on March 23, while the second dose was administered on April 14 using the Sputnik V vaccine.