"Effective in all age categories": Gunzburg spoke about the course of vaccination with "Sputnik V"

Over the past day, 10,083 new cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Russia, of which the largest number was in Moscow (1905) and St. Petersburg (937).

During this time, 9,232 people were cured of the disease, 395 patients died from complications that developed against the background of COVID-19 and concomitant diseases.

The total number of COVID-19 cases registered in the country reached 4 390 608, 92 090 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic, 3 995 129 patients have recovered.

The Rospotrebnadzor reported that more than 115.2 million laboratory tests for the presence of the virus have already been carried out in the country.

On the eve, the head of the Gamaleya Center, Alexander Gintsburg, expressed the hope that by the second half of autumn most of the Russians could be vaccinated against the coronavirus, which would make the situation with the spread of COVID-19 manageable.

He told about this on the air of the YouTube channel "Solovyov LIVE".

“By November, 70% of our population, despite the fact that the rate of vaccination could be much higher ... Nevertheless, by November, I believe that still 60-70% will be vaccinated.

And within the country, this problem, this infection will be vaccine-controlled, ”RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

According to him, about seven million Russians have already been vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine.

The specialist, citing data from Chinese scientists, said that today up to 20% of those who have had coronavirus do not have a sufficient level of protective antibodies.

He recommended that those citizens who have already been ill with COVID-19 should be tested and vaccinated if antibodies are below a certain level. 

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Speaking about Russian vaccines, Gunzburg recalled that Sputnik V showed high efficiency when used by patients of all age categories. 

“At first there were doubts that the effectiveness in people with a great age, 60+, might be less ... Nothing of the kind ... In 91.6% of cases, no matter how high the antibody titer, there is protection against infection, and in 100% of cases - protection from severe cases of the disease, ”he confirmed.

At the same time, the developers of the vaccine expect that the duration of the drug's action will be "very long" and will reach two years, the head of the center said.

"Among those 4-6 drugs in the world that have entered a wide civil circulation, apparently, Sputnik V is in the first position in terms of its qualities," he said.

At the same time, Gunzburg advised to refrain from vaccination for persons with a history of severe allergic reactions, such as Quincke's edema or anaphylactic shock for unknown reasons.

The specialist also explained that cancer is not a contraindication for vaccination, but the vaccine will not be effective for people undergoing chemotherapy or taking drugs that suppress cell proliferation.

Meanwhile, the head of the Gamaleya center said that the Sputnik Light vaccine, which is the first component of Sputnik V, is now undergoing registration.

“This vaccine has been created.

Formally, it is practically ready for use, there is nothing to study there, ”he said.

The duration of the effect of this drug will be shorter than that of the classic "Sputnik V", but its use will reduce the number of lethal and severe cases of infection, thereby relieving the health system in countries with a difficult epidemiological situation, concluded Gunzburg.

Recall that in August, Russia was the first in the world to register the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, which was developed by the specialists of the Gamaleya Center.

Later, two more Russian drugs were registered - "EpiVacCorona" of the State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology "Vector" and "CoviVac" of the Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immunobiological Preparations named after M.P.

Chumakov RAS.

Mass vaccination against coronavirus infection began in Russia on January 18.

The corresponding instruction was given by President Vladimir Putin.

The head of state noted a slight decrease in the rate of spread of infection in the country, but stressed that this should not reassure anyone, since the situation in individual states remains alarming.

Later, the president expressed the hope that the rate of vaccination will increase and the situation will change in a positive direction.