Oliver Stone says he's had Russian virus vaccine

US film director Oliver Stone said he has received an initial jab of Russia's coronavirus vaccine.

Stone, 74, told Russian state television in remarks broadcast late Monday that he had received the first of two required shots of Sputnik V vaccine a few days ago and will return later to receive another jab.

He said he heard "good things" about the Russian vaccine, adding that he wondered why it's being ignored in the West.

Stone received Sputnik V even though it is currently only offered to Russians aged between 18 and 60 in the ongoing immunization effort.

Over 150,000 people in Russia have already been vaccinated with Sputnik V, according to its developers, even though the vaccine is still undergoing advanced studies needed to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

The Sputnik V vaccine received regulatory approval in August, a move that drew international criticism because it had only had been tested on a few dozen people at the time.

Russian authorities said Tuesday that vaccinations had started in all regions of the country in line with President Vladimir Putin's orders.

Russia has reported over 2.7 million confirmed cases in the pandemic and nearly 48,000 deaths.