Kazakhstan Moves on with QazCovid-In

As Azhar Giniyat, vice-minister of health has revealed today, the third phase of testing for the Kazakhstani-made vaccine might be completed in April.

The country’s health system aims to provide vaccine doses to about six million citizens this year. One of this strategy’s elements is QazCovid-In, which is an inactivated vaccine that was developed by Kazakhstani scientists from the Institute of Biological Safety.  

«The third phase of the testing will have been done in April. Once the testing results are in our hands, we can launch the process of vaccine production and distribution,» the official said during TV broadcasting. 

Among other participants of the broadcasting was another health vice-minister, Erlan Kiyasov. They both received the second dose of the Russian-made Sputnik V during the broadcast to encourage people to not be afraid of vaccination. The officials received their first doses on February 1.  

«Roughly 20,000 of our citizens have been vaccinated by the first dose of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine. There were no reports of COVID cases among those people so far,» said Kiyasov.

The vaccination that has started on February 1 is offered only for health system workers so far. This includes those who work in infectious hospitals and ambulances. It is also expected that the Russian-made vaccine will be complemented by locally produced Sputnik V in March.