Its director, Alexander Guintsburg, said during a video conference, organized by the Russian Hebrew Congress, that Covid-19 vaccines from foreign drug companies Moderna and Pfizer have less than 50-percent effectiveness against this variant of the virus.

He pointed out that, according to data from the Ministries of Health in whose territories the latter vaccines has been administered, the effectiveness of vaccination is between 40 and 50 percent. The scientist stressed that post-Sputnik V revaccination is possible with any drug, but warned that the manufacturer of the second vaccine will be responsible for any side effects it causes.

‘The only thing I always add when answering this question is that the Gamaleya Center, the Russian state and Alexander Guintsburg are not responsible for the side effects caused by these vaccines, as compared to Sputnik V,’ he noted, according to TASS news agency.

He stressed that the only contraindication to immunization against Covid-19 with Sputnik V may be severe diseases in the acute stage of the pandemic, as well as the use of cytostatic drugs.

The vaccine, created by Gamaleya, was registered in Russia on August 11, 2020, so that it became the first one against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus officially accepted in the world.

Its developers emphasize that by using two different vectors for two doses of the vaccine, a stronger and longer-lasting immune response is achieved. The vaccine has been registered in 70 countries.

jg/aph/mgt/mml