Argentine president receives Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said Thursday that he received Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V.

"Getting vaccinated serves to become immune against coronavirus. Let's do it," he said on Twitter.

After receiving his first vaccine dose at Posadas Hospital of Buenos Aires, Fernandez thanked medical staff across the country for efforts to the battle the virus.

Argentina said Wednesday it approved the vaccine to be used for those older that 60, after earlier approving it for younger age groups.

The National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology, or ANMAT, said the vaccine "is within an acceptable range of safety, immunogenicity and efficacy for the age group over 60 years.”

The regulatory agency said research shows it has around "91.8% efficacy" for those older than 60.

The first elderly person vaccinated in Argentina was 65-year-old health minister form the Buenos Aires province, Daniel Gollan

Argentina received its second shipment Saturday of Sputnik V.

The country is in the second phase of a two-dose plan and said Monday it is distributing the vaccine across the country to immunize health workers on the front lines.

Argentina, with a population of close to 45 million, has registered more than 1.8 million COVID-19 infections and an excess of 46,000 deaths, according to data from US-based Johns Hopkins University.