Sputnik V Vaccine Shows 97.2 Percent Efficacy Against Covid-19 Highest So Far: Report

The data from the Health Ministry also confirmed the high safety of the Sputnik V vaccine, no deaths or adverse effects were recorded as a result of the vaccine. 

New Delhi: The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia's sovereign wealth fund announces Sputnik V has demonstrated 97.2% efficacy against coronavirus in Belarus.

Belarus was the first foreign country to register Sputnik V and use it to vaccinate its population. The efficacy of Sputnik V was measured based on data from more than 860,000 people vaccinated between January and July 2021.

The data from the Health Ministry also confirmed the high safety of the Sputnik V vaccine, no deaths or adverse effects were recorded as a result of the vaccine. 

According to RDIF, the efficacy of Sputnik V is 97.6% based on the analysis of data on the coronavirus infection rate among those in Russia vaccinated with both components of Sputnik V from December 5, 2020 to March 31, 2021.

It said that the vaccine is based on a proven and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors, which cause the common cold and have been around for thousands of years.

"Sputnik V has pioneered the use of heterogeneous boosting (two different vectors for the two shots in a course of vaccination among COVID vaccines). This approach provides for immunity with a longer duration than vaccines using the same delivery mechanism for both shots", the RDIF statement read.

It also said that the safety, efficacy, and lack of negative long-term effects of adenoviral vaccines have been proven by more than 250 clinical studies which were conducted over two decades.