Moscow (Russia), March 14: The Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has proven equally effective for all age groups, Alexander Gintsburg, the head of the Gamaleya research institute that developed the vaccine, said on Saturday.
"Sputnik V demonstrated the same level of efficacy in all age groups. At first, there were doubts that the efficacy in people aged 60 and over would be lower ... but it was absolutely not," Gintsburg told the SolovyovLive show on YouTube.
The virologist noted that quality-wise Sputnik V beats other COVID-19 vaccines.
"Among those four to six vaccines that have entered mass-circulation worldwide, Sputnik V apparently ranks the first in terms of its qualities," Gintsburg noted.
"The effect of this vaccine will be very long. We hope two years and more," the official added.
Up to 70 percent of Russia's population will be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November, Gintsburg said.
"I believe that by November, 70 percent of our population - albeit the pace of vaccination could be much faster - nevertheless, I believe that by November, 60-70 percent of people will be vaccinated. This problem, the infection, will become controllable inside the country by means of vaccination," Gintsburg told the SolovyovLive show on YouTube.
On 11 August 2020, Russia became the first country in the world to register a vaccine against the coronavirus, dubbed Sputnik V, and developed by the Gamaleya research institute with financial support from RDIF.
According to the analysis of phase 3 clinical trials of Sputnik V, published by The Lancet medical journal, Sputnik V has 91.6 percent efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19.
Source: Sputnik
