Russia plans mass inoculation in Oct using coronavirus vaccine: Report

Health Minister says clinical trials are over for vaccine developed by Moscow-based institute.

Russia plans a mass vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus for October, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said.

"We plan wider (vaccination) for October because we need to launch a new system of treatment gradually," the Minister told TASS News Agency on Saturday.

Murashko said clinical trials of a coronavirus vaccine developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology were over.

The vaccination will be free of charge, the Minister added.

"We plan that the coronavirus vaccination campaign will be totally covered from the budget. Accordingly, the vaccination scheme is known to all. It will be planned," he said.

Last month, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that he was hopeful that Russia will produce a reliable vaccine against COVID-19 by the fall.

To date, 845,443 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 646,524 patients having recovered from the disease.

Russia's latest data indicates 14,058 fatalities nationwide.

Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.