Last week, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko explained that the clinical trials on the vaccine, a single-dose version of Sputnik V, which requires two shots to achieve complete immunization, had concluded.

Gamaleya Director Alexandr Guintsburg said a few days ago that the new vaccine will allow reducing the number of serious and lethal cases due to the pandemic, but it will not replace Sputnik V in any way.

He added that the vaccine protects people for four to five months and is aimed at eliminating the main inconvenient of Sputnik V: the presence of two components administered to patients in an interval of several weeks. jg/mgt/mml