As governments across the globe scramble to secure COVID-19 vaccine doses for humans, Russia has registered the world’s first coronavirus vaccine for animals, state media outlet TASS reported.
The vaccine is named Carnivak-Cov, TASS said, citing Konstantin Savenkov, the deputy head of Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor.)
“Carnivak-Cov, a sorbate inactivated vaccine against the coronavirus infection for carnivorous animals, developed by Rosselkhoznadzor’s Federal Center for Animal Health, has been registered in Russia.
So far, it is the world’s first and only product for preventing COVID-19 in animals,” Savenkov said.
Clinical trials of Carnivak-Cov began last October, Savenkov said. The research involved dogs, cats, foxes, Arctic foxes, minks and other animals.
Savenkov said all the vaccinated animals developed antibodies and that the outcome of the research gave Russia “grounds to conclude that the vaccine is safe and has strong immunogenic effect.”
The report said that the effect of the vaccine is estimated to last no less than six months. (NNT World)
