PM Babiš: Czechia will not administer Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine before EU approval, but may buy doses

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who earlier hinted that his government could purchase the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, said on Wednesday he did not advocate administering it until it wins EU approval.

The Czech leader made the comment ahead of a trip to Serbia with epidemiologists and virologists to discuss the Balkan country’s experience with vaccinations, including ones produced by Russia and China. Like Hungary, which Mr Babiš visited last week for a fact-finding mission, Serbia is already administering Sputnik V.

Mr Babiš told reporters that the Czech Republic could purchase doses of the Russian vaccine in order to get a head start in the event that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) does approve Sputnik V.