During a teleconference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Maksyutov noted that Vector, being the reference laboratory of the World Health Organization in Russia, conducts virological research and monitoring of the genetic variability of coronavirus across the country.

“To date, we have identified in Russia more than 5.3 thousand mutations throughout the genome.

In the overwhelming majority, these substitutions do not lead to a change in the properties of the virus from an epidemiological point of view, ”he said.

In addition, more than 50 variants of the British strain, three cases of the South African strain, as well as "more than 20 unique variants of the virus requiring in-depth study" have been recorded in Russia.

Maksyutov said that the Vector Center is constantly studying new strains of coronavirus for resistance on various surfaces and transmission between living organisms.

“We have shown that the British strain of the new coronavirus is effectively neutralized by both the sera of those who have recovered and those vaccinated by Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona,” he added.

The head of the Vector Center emphasized that EpiVacCorona is effective against all types of coronavirus infection.

Earlier, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said that those who have transferred the variants of coronavirus common in Russia are no longer infected with the British strain of COVID-19.