Russia receives coronavirus strain from U.S. to develop vaccine - customs
TOMSK. April 14 (Interfax) - The customs office in the Russian city of Tomsk has issued a declaration on a strain of the novel coronavirus that a Russian company imported from the United States, the customs press service said on Tuesday.
"As part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection, a Russian company has imported virus particles from the U.S. to the Moscow area with the aim of conducting studies and subsequently developing a vaccine," the press service said, without naming the company.
The virus particles were transported in a 23 by 0.6 milliliter vial and weighed 88 grams. Since the required temperature of these items' storage and transportation is 2-8 degrees Celsius, they were placed in an insulated container filled with icepacks. Together with the container, the delivery weighed 4.5 kilograms.
Tomsk customs officers registered the declaration, checked the documents used to fill out the customs declaration for compliance with existing bans and restrictions, and cleared the delivery in less than an hour, even though such customs formalities take approximately one working day in accordance with the law, the press service said.
The Tomsk customs office told Interfax that it is convenient for Russian companies to register imports from the U.S. via the Tomsk customs office due to time difference.