Russia Registers World's First COVID-19 Vaccine For Animals

- Deputy head of Russia's Federal Service for Animal Control and Phytosanitation (Rosselkhoznadzor) Konstantin Savenkov said it had registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine for animals.

 The vaccine, called Carnivac-Cov, was developed by Rosselkhoznadzor.  "This is the first and only corona virus vaccine in the world for animals," said Savenkov quoted from Interfax, Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

 Savenkov explained that clinical trials of this vaccine starting in October 2020 involve dogs, cats, arctic foxes, stoats, foxes and other animals.  "The trial results show that the vaccine is safe and has a high immunogenic effect, because 100 percent of the animals vaccinated during the trial developed corona virus antibodies," he said.

 Rosselkhoznadzor scientists are continuing their research to determine how long immunity will last.  "At the moment, the indicator lasts at least six months," said Savenkov.

 According to him, the mass production of vaccines by the largest veterinary drug factory in Russia can be done next month.

 Savenkov said the COVID-19 vaccine for animals is important because the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) states certain species are susceptible to this disease.  Corona virus infections in animals have been reported in a number of countries around the world.

 For example, Savenkov said, last week the OIE received information about three pets diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in Mexico and another in Italy.  A week earlier, official sources in Argentina reported that four dogs and cats were infected.

 There are two confirmed cat infections in Russia, namely in Moscow and Tyumenm

 Savenkov also touched on the large-scale corona virus infection in mink farms in Denmark in 2020. This incident led the Danish authorities to agree to a massive mink slaughter.

 According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the vaccine developed by Russia's Federal Center for Animal Health will be purchased by domestic animal farms and commercial companies from Greece, Poland and Austria.  Companies from the United States, Canada and Singapore have also shown interest in Carnivac-Cov.