Published in The Lancet, the latest data on the 91.6% effectiveness of Sputnik V contributed to the inclusion of the drug in the top three vaccines against coronavirus infection, writes the American publication Politico, citing experts.
According to Teresa Fallon, director of the Center for Research in Russia, Europe and Asia (Brussels), Sputnik V has become one of the three members of the “prestigious club” of vaccines, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed and is more than 90 percent.
The authors of the Western edition noted that in August 2020, the world reacted with skepticism to the fact that Russia became the first country to approve the vaccine. Mistrust was caused by the fact that it was not tested in the standard mode. However, the results of clinical studies of the drug published later inspired confidence in the scientific community.
Compared to competitors – drugs from BioNTech / Pfizer and Moderna – Sputnik V has an affordable price. The cost of one dose of the vaccine is less than $ 10, in this respect it is second only to the drug from Oxford / AstraZeneca, the dose of which is estimated at $ 4-5.
Commenting on the properties of the Russian vaccine, the publication drew attention to the fact that the drug, unlike some competitors, does not have to be stored at ultra-low temperatures. This circumstance can attract the attention of poor countries.
Earlier, journalist Jacques Schuster in a column for the German newspaper Die Welt noted that Russia was able to surprise Western countries with the creation of the Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. The journalist stressed that the effectiveness of the vaccine, as well as agreements on its use abroad, have given Russia a prestige that will be used politically.
Sputnik V is the first registered Russian vaccine against coronavirus, it was created on the basis of another adenovirus in which the coronavirus gene is embedded. When it enters cells, it forms proteins in them – they cause immunity and promote the development of antibodies.
