A mass vaccination strategy against the novel coronavirus is currently being put together and arranged for October, Russia's local new agencies reported the country's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko as saying on Saturday. He stated that the state-run medical research facility, Gamaleya Research Institute, in Moscow, had wrapped up clinical trials of the vaccine, with the paperwork for its registration currently underway, Interfax news agency reported. In his statement, he added that doctors and teachers would be the first who will be getting vaccinated. Murashko quoted, "We plan wider vaccinations for October,". 

International news agency Reuters is reporting that the first potential Russian coronavirus vaccine would be administered to the country's health workers after its local regulatory is secured in August. Work on an adenovirus-based vaccine is being carried out at the Gamaleya Research Institute. 

In the meantime, Western media has been questioning for a while now in regard to the Russian vaccine and the speed at which it is being rolled out prompting many to wonder whether Moscow is laying emphasis on national prestige ahead of science and the safety of the people. 

Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund, earlier this week had drawn comparisons of the country’s COVID-19 vaccine with the launch of the world's first satellite, Sputnik 1, by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1957 saying, "It is a Sputnik moment." It is to be noted that the American news-based television channel CNN had also reported that Russia was planning to be the first country in the world to approve a COVID-19 vaccine in less than two weeks by August 10. Mr Dmitriev stated, "Americans were surprised when they heard Sputnik’s beeping. It is the same with this vaccine. Russia will have got there first,".

Russia recorded 5,462 fresh coronavirus cases on Saturday taking the country's total to 845,443 positive cases, with 95 additional deaths reported raising the country's toll to 14,058.