COVID-19 vaccine program begins in Bolivia

By Orpan

Bolivia received 20,000 doses from Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, days after the country granted emergency approval for its use.

The vaccine was registered days earlier by the Bolivian health regulator based on the results of Phase III clinical trials in Russia, without additional trials in Bolivia. The country has ordered 5.2 million doses from Russia, while it will receive a further 10 million AstraZeneca doses via a deal with India's Serum Institute and the United Nations Covax distribution system.

After an international debate about its safeness and effectiveness, early results of an advanced study published in British medical journal The Lancet state the vaccine is about 91% effective and that the shot also appeared to prevent people from becoming severely ill with COVID-19. “The outcome reported here is clear," British scientists Ian Jones and Polly Roy wrote in an accompanying commentary on February 2, 2021. "Another vaccine can now join the fight to reduce the incidence of COVID-19."