THE world’s reaction to the Russian announcement that it had developed a vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), which had been given regulatory approval after less than two months of testing on humans, was mixed.
Actually, it all depended on where you lived.
In the West, and by “West” I mean the United States and its “democratic” allies, there was outrage.
There were suggestions that Russia had cut corners to win the war against the current pandemic and that safety might have been compromised.
Most of their experts believed that a vaccine wouldn’t be available until the middle of next year. Never mind if Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughter had already taken it.
They believed Russian regulators should have waited until the phase-three trial, or a larger study involving thousands of people, was completed before they approved the vaccine.
I hate to break it to them, but this is a race against a disease that has brought the economies of many countries to their knees. Majority of them imposed lockdowns that forced many establishments to shut down, displacing many workers.
Although not as deadly as initially thought, Covid-19 still has claimed the lives of more than 800,000 people worldwide since the outbreak was identified in China in December 2019.
But the thought of being beaten by Russia, again, must rankle. Its former adversary the US must think Russia is rubbing the victory in its face by calling the vaccine Sputnik V, in honor of the first satellite the country, then known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, launched into space in 1957.
If the Philippines had been under a leader who held on to the belief that Filipinos were America’s little brown brothers, then it would have scoffed at the idea of a Russian vaccine, let alone be working together in the final stages of its development.
But that’s exactly what’s happening, according to Igor Khovaev, ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Philippines.
He told SunStar Cebu that Russia submitted comprehensive data on trial results to the Philippines.
He said if people wanted to learn more about the technical details they can log on to sputnikvaccine.com or watch the press conference of Kirill Dmitriev, director general of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which has the exclusive charge of developing, distributing and producing the vaccine abroad.
Russia has nothing to hide, he said.
The ambassador said his country also appreciated the statement made by President Rodrigo Duterte, who expressed willingness to be the first Filipino to test the Russian vaccine.
“I cannot help but admire his decisiveness and readiness to do what it takes to overcome a crisis,” Khovaev said of Duterte.
I’m sure there are a few raised eyebrows out there. But, as Khovaev pointed out, we are fighting a common foe.
Perhaps it’s time to set aside old prejudices.