Aug 24, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has said that the new vaccine developed by Russia to control the COVID-19 coronavirus will be imported to Sri Lanka after receiving the necessary recommendations and approval from the World Health Organization.

The Health Minister has stated this after the Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yury Materiy informed the Minister during a discussion held on 21st August, the state run TV Rupavahini reported.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is in talks with Russia on the future of the vaccine.

The vaccine which is dubbed “Sputnik V,”was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow and is in the phase III clinical trial involving more than 40000 volunteers in more than 45 medical centers. Mass production of the vaccine is slated to begin in September.

The institute that developed the vaccine however has said that the vaccine cannot be used widely until 1 January 2021, presumably after larger clinical trials have been completed.