Specialists from the World Health Organization (WHO) are scheduled to visit the manufacturing sites, where Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 is produced, this March, WHO Special Representative to Russia Melita Vujnovic told in an interview.

Axar.az reports citing Russian media.

"Inspections are scheduled for March. This is all in agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund. The inspection is always negotiated with the manufacturer when all the elements are there," she said, referring to the visit by the organization's experts to Sputnik V’s manufacturing sites.

Vujnovic explained that the WHO is not only examining COVID-19 vaccines at the moment, so the experts have a very busy schedule. "This has always been the case. I think more than 40 vaccines are in the prequalification process right now. So, of course, the experts are very busy. But COVID-19 vaccines are an absolute priority," she noted.

"Right now, 14 candidate vaccines are in various stages. We expect that, barring any delays, the [Sputnik V] qualification process will follow its course. I've repeatedly said that I'm pleased with how the process is going. The final decision, of course, will be taken by the experts of the WHO strategy group when they receive all the results. We can say that the process is going very well," the organization's representative concluded.