The Sputnik V Vaccine

March 2021 | Reading time: 2 minutes

Russia has manufactured the Sputnik V vaccine, currently being used in several countries, to combat the Covid-19 virus.

How effective is it?

According to the Lancet paper, the Sputnik vaccine has a 92% efficacy in late-stage trials. Russian scientists have deemed the vaccine to be safe for use after extensive trial periods. At first, the Sputnik vaccine was administered before the vaccine’s final data was released, which caused some controversy. Clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, Dr Julian Tang said: “Despite the earlier misgivings about the way this Russian Sputnik V vaccine was rolled out more widely, ahead of sufficient Phase 3 trial data, this approach has been justified to some extent now.”

More information on the efficacy of the Sputnik vaccine can be found here.

How does the vaccine work?

Like the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Janssen jabs, the Sputnik vaccine uses a cold-type virus that scientists engineer to be harmless. It uses small fragments of the original Covid-19 virus, which makes the human body recognise the threat (virus), and in turn, the body learns how to fend the virus off and prepare the immune system. Like a few other vaccines, the Sputnik vaccines are stored at temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees, making them easier to store and transport than the Pfizer vaccine.

Unlike any other vaccination currently in circulation, Sputnik uses two different formulas, 21 days apart. The two separate jabs target the virus in different ways and intend to boost the immune system even more, with the intention of giving longer-lasting protection.

During the trial stages, there were no serious illnesses or deaths from the vaccine. Typical side effects usually expected from the jab occurred, such as a sore arm, tiredness, and a bit of a temperature.

Where is the vaccine being used already?

Currently, the Sputnik vaccine is being used in several countries, including:

• Russia
• Iran
• Venezuela
• Hungary
• The UAE
• Argentina
• Palestinian Territories

What was said about the vaccine?

The Lancet paper published a comment made by professors Ian Jones and Polly Roy. They said, “The development of the Sputnik V vaccine has been criticised for unseemly haste, corner-cutting, and an absence of transparency. But the outcome reported here is clear, and the scientific principle of vaccination is demonstrated, which means another vaccine can now join the fight to reduce the incidence of Covid-19”.