Belarus and Argentina begin administering Russian coronavirus vaccine

A Russian medical worker administers a dose of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in Moscow, Russia (Pavel Golovkin/AP)

Belarus and Argentina have launched mass coronavirus vaccinations with the Russian-developed Sputnik V vaccine, which is still undergoing late-stage studies to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

The first batch of Sputnik V arrived in the former Soviet republic of Belarus on Tuesday, according to a joint statement by the Belarusian Health Ministry, the Russian Health Ministry and the Russian Direct Investment Fund that bankrolled development of the vaccine.