BRIEF—Hungary and UAE approve Sputnik V vaccine

Russia’s homegrown coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, has won approval in Hungary and the UAE, under emergency use authorization procedures.

The vaccine, which can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures and costs around $10 per dose, has also been approved in Algeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia, Palestine, Venezuela, Paraguay and Turkmenistan.

While commentators have been critical of Russia’s rush to approve the vaccine, and a perceived lack of transparency in the development process, the vaccine has now been submitted to the European Medicines Agency for regulatory review.

The vaccine’s backers say it has been shown to be 90% effective, with full protection against severe cases of COVID-19.