Russia approves rushed vaccine

The Gamaleya Research Institute in Moscow reportedly modified the adenovirus, which causes the common cold, to help the human body recognize and fight the novel coronavirus. Russia on Tuesday announced it approved the vaccine after fewer than two months of study, and President Vladimir Putin said one of his adult daughters has received two doses and experienced mild side effects.

Is the treatment safe? Putin said developers conducted the necessary tests, but scientists in Russia and other nations warned the vaccine did not undergo Phase 3 trials, which involve tens of thousands of people and can last for months. Several vaccine candidates in the United States and Europe have started working through Phase 3 trials.

Dig deeper: Read WORLD medical correspondent Dr. Charles Horton’s analysis of the U.S. government’s race to find a COVID-19 vaccine.