Covid-19: Russian Sputnik V vaccine used in Hungary on Friday

Hungary will be the first European Union country to use Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine on Friday, the country’s chief medical officer said. “Today, we are starting to vaccinate with the Sputnik V vaccine, this is happening in the vaccination stations designated” by the authorities, Cecilia Muller said during a daily press briefing. Hungary was already the first EU member to approve Sputnik V last month, ordering 2 million doses to be delivered over three months – enough to vaccinate a million people.

Budapest is often in conflict with the European Commission, in particular on the subject of asylum and has repeatedly criticized the process of validation and purchase of vaccines by Brussels, too slow according to the Prime Minister, Viktor Orban.

Chinese vaccine also approved in Hungary

Last month, the Hungarian government was also the first of 27 to approve the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine and said it had ordered 5 million doses.

“If Hungary starts using the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine in the near future, more than 2.5 million people can be vaccinated by Easter,” Viktor Orban told radio on Friday. “Every day that we spent waiting for Brussels, we would lose a hundred Hungarian lives,” he said.

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