Syria, Russia discuss obtaining covid vaccine

Syria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal Mekdad announced that his country is discussing with Russia the possibility of obtaining the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine named “Sputnik V”.

Speaking to Sputnik news agency, Mekdad said he hoped the Syrians would receive this vaccine, along with other Russian vaccines, because their confidence in the Russian vaccines is greater.

“We hope the Syrian people will receive the [Sputnik V] vaccine and other Russian-made vaccines, because they trust them more than Pfizer and other vaccines,” he said.

Remarking on the possibility of receiving the vaccine for free, Mekdad said: “We are confident that the Russian people are generous enough to take these aspects into consideration, especially amid the special circumstances that Syria is going through.”

Last October, Syrian regime President Bashar Al-Assad said his country intends to discuss obtaining the Russian vaccine when it becomes available on the international market.

In August, Russia registered the first coronavirus vaccine in the world and began inoculating patients at the start of December. Germany and a number of other states have said the medication has not been sufficiently tested to be administered.

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