Gunzburg: there is no need to modify the Sputnik V vaccine for the omicron strain yet
Photo: Dado Ruvic / Reuters
The head of the Gamaleya Center of the Russian Ministry of Health, Alexander Gintsburg, assessed the need to adapt the Sputnik V vaccine to the new omicron strain of coronavirus. It is reported by “Interfax”.
As the scientist said on the air of the Russia 24 TV channel, at the moment laboratory data show that there is no need to modify the drug, but they must be supported by clinical trials. “If it is necessary (to modify), only clinicians will tell us about it, when, accordingly, they see how many seriously ill patients they have on their beds, are there any among them vaccinated with Sputnik V according to the full scheme, double vaccination plus revaccination? people who have become infected with the omicron, ”explained Gunzburg.
He explained that similar clinical data were obtained with respect to the “delta” strain, when, during the period of its spread, the question arose about the modernization of Sputnik V, but then the vaccine did not have to be changed, since among those who were in intensive care with “delta” , there were no those who were vaccinated on a full cycle.
Earlier, Gunzburg said that it is not yet necessary to say that the omicron strain of coronavirus is more dangerous than the previous ones, but it spreads better in the population. According to Gunzburg, the number of cases of COVID-19, especially among the unvaccinated, can reach very high values due to the omicron.
