Russia’s Covid vaccine shows over 90 percent efficacy, nations line up for supply [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Peer-reviewed findings released by The Lancet medical journal this week showed that Russia’s ‘Sputnik V’ COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90 percent effective against the virus.
• Countries have requested Sputnik V supplies as Russia is looking at offering the doses to the EU market.
• Sputnik V vaccine was coined after Russia’s outer space’s satellite, the first satellite launched in the world in 1957.

The world is now lining up for Russia’s ‘COVID-19 vaccine’ Sputnik V.

It was recalled that the vaccine sparked skepticism when President Vladimir Putin unveiled it in August last year although it did not complete Phase 3 clinical trial. But after The Lancet medical journal’s recent peer-reviewed publication that its efficacy rate is higher than the Chinese vaccine, demand for Sputnik V supplies has increased. 

As of now, about 20 nations gave a go signal on the use of Sputnik V. Countries such as Brazil and India are finalizing steps to approve its distribution. Russia is currently looking at selling the vaccine on the EU market as the conglomerate faces scarcity of supply.

Meanwhile, the Chinese-made ‘Sinovac’ (with over 50 percent efficacy rate) still has a distribution lead in Asia. Only a few Asian countries have sought Sputnik V’s doses such as the Philippines, which is currently negotiating for 25 million vaccines.

Per the Lancet journal, the late-stage trial results from 20,000 participants revealing that the vaccine poses 91.6 percent protection against the virus.

In an interview, Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev said that the news was “a watershed moment” for them. Russian Direct Investment Fund was the organization that sponsored Sputnik V’ research and responsible for the vaccine’s global roll-out.

Given the high efficacy rate and Putin’s early announcement, Kremlin has already attempted to beautify its image after receiving years of global accusation for interfering with US elections and going against its political critics, both local and international. The nation’s state media highlighted stories on the vaccine’s arrival in nations abroad.

According to Control Risks consultancy director Oksana Antonenko, however, Sputnik’s triumph could not impact Western countries’ antagonistic perception towards Putin. Fortunately, though, it could boost Kremlin’s geopolitical influence in vast regions like Latin America.

“With this vaccine, it’s proven itself capable of producing something new that’s in demand around the world,” Antonenko said.

The domestic situation in Russia, though, continued to be apathetic because of distrust issues against authorities amid the Sputnik V’s success. The 68-year-old Russian leader fueled uncertainty in December when he passed on getting the shot after saying that he would like to get clearance on the vaccine’s safety to the elderly like him.

Putin, though, has not yet announced whether he was already inoculated or not.

The vaccine was named after the world’s first satellite launched by Russia in space in 1957, further cemented the Soviet Union’s victory against the powerhouse United States in terms of spearheading phenomenal innovation.

Sputnik V, which yields antibodies using adenovirus as a platform, has been utilized in vaccine researches for many years.

Source: Fortune.com