Russian Vaccine Blocked

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has admitted in its annual report that it used “diplomatic relations” in order to force Brazil, one of the countries worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, to reject authorization of the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V. HHS explained its action by the need to “mitigate efforts” by Russia to boost its “influence” in the region, which would be detrimental to “U.S. safety and security.”