Kazakhstan starts production of Russian vaccine

The manufacturing of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine, which has already been rolled out in the country, began on Monday in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. It is being produced at a pharmaceutical complex in the region after an agreement to distribute it was reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Two million doses of the vaccine have been ordered and vaccinations in Kazakhstan are expected to begin in February 2021.

Earlier this month, mass vaccinations started in Russia with Sputnik V - a domestically developed coronavirus vaccine that is still undergoing advanced studies among tens of thousands of people needed to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

Russia has been widely criticized for giving Sputnik V regulatory approval in August after it had only been tested on a few dozen people.

Despite expert warnings against its wider use until late-stage trials are completed, the authorities started offering it to medical workers within weeks after approval.

(IMAGE CREDITS:AP)