MOSCOW, March 31 — Russia has registered the world’s first vaccine against Covid-19 for animals, its mass production could be launched in April, Konstantin Savenkov, deputy head of Russian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has told reporters, according to Sputnik.
Savenkov said the Carnivac-Cov vaccine, developed by the Federal Centre for Animal Health, was the first and currently the only vaccine against coronavirus for animals in the world.
“The clinical trials of Carnivac-Cov, which started in October last year, involved dogs, cats, polar foxes, minks, foxes and other animals. The results of the studies allow us to conclude that the vaccine is harmless and has high immunogenic activity since all vaccinated animals developed antibodies to coronavirus in 100 per cent of cases,” he said.
Currently, Rosselkhoznadzor scientists continue to study how long immunity is developed after vaccination. According to Savenkov, now it takes at least six months.
“Already in April, mass production of the vaccine can be launched on the basis of the country’s largest platform for the production of medicines for animals – the Federal Centre for Animal Health,” he said.
— Bernama