Nine primates of the zoo in the American city of San Diego were the first in the world to receive a vaccine against coronavirus infection. This is reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune, citing representatives of the zoo. Four orangutans and five bonobos were vaccinated. The animals received the experimental drug. Three more bonobos and one gorilla will be vaccinated in the near future. The zoo's chief conservationist, Nadine Lambski, said the primates were vaccinated to protect them from the coronavirus, because it is not yet known exactly how the disease might affect them. According to the publication, the monkeys received two doses of the vaccine three weeks apart. The drugs were developed by the pharmaceutical company Zoetis. The drug has already been tested in minks, cats and dogs, but has not been approved for use in humans. Most primates had no visible side effects, Lamberski clarified. After vaccination, only one or two individuals rubbed their head or the area where the injection was given.
