Vietnam’s Ministry of Health said on Friday the country has applied to purchase Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The Ministry also said in the meantime, Vietnam will still continue developing the country’s own COVID-19 vaccine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that the country had approved a COVID-19 vaccine named “Sputnik V”.

Russian officials have dismissed concerns expressed by scientists around the world over the lack of final-stage testing of the vaccine.

The head of Vietnam’s COVID-19 task force VU Duc Dam said the country is implementing the anti-virus measures of a poor country, so everyone has to stay alert and know how to protect themselves from the virus.

Vietnam is aiming to have its own COVID-19 vaccine ready for human trials at the end of 2020 and ready for general use by October 2021.