The Russian virus Sputnik V vaccine is highly effective against the omicron variant, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared today during an informal summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) held in Saint Petersburg.
“I spoke with the director of the Gamaleya Institute (Alexandr Ginzburg), they have done the research and established that Sputnik V completely neutralizes the new omicron variant, “ said the Russian president.
According to Putin, Ginzburg informed him two days before that only clinical studies will give the definitive answer on the effectiveness of the Russian drug, but that so far “the level of neutralization is very high.”
The Russian president pointed out that “Sputnik V guarantees about 90% protection” against the omicron.
Russian health chief Anna Popova, present at the summit, noted that the new variant is becoming dominant in many countries around the world and is beginning to displace the delta.
However, he affirmed that this still does not happen in Russia, “wherefrom the beginning very solid obstacles were placed” for the entry of the strain to the national territory.
In addition, Popova noted that Russia helps other countries to improve sequencing processes and expressed the willingness to “share these capabilities, do this work for colleagues from other countries.”
“Now we do that for our colleagues from Belarus, our colleagues from Armenia, and we are ready to propose these possibilities to everyone, to prevent the emergence of these viruses and their further development, ” he added.
In addition, it offered assistance in the creation, construction, equipping, and training of the personnel of scientific centers and high-level laboratories specialized in biosafety and research programs.
Popova warned that, although he wanted to see an early end to the pandemic, “we must not have any illusions.”
“For now, let’s get ready to stop its expansion and protect the people, immunizing them against the new variant,” he said.