Russian Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine is safe and 92% effective – The Lancet

"A lot of people, us included, were sceptical," says Adam Gilchrist. "The Lancet is the number one medical journal in the world.”

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Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine is safe and 92% effective, trial results published in The Lancet shows.

No trial participants fell seriously ill with Covid-19.

The vaccine can be stored in a standard fridge.

The Sputnik V is registered and being used in Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Argentina, Bolivia, Algeria, Palestine, Venezuela, Paraguay, Turkmenistan, Hungary, the UAE, Iran, Uruguay, the Republic of Guinea, Tunisia, and Armenia.

The two-dose vaccine’s exceptional efficacy held in all age groups, with protection against serious illness after one dose.

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"The development of the Sputnik V vaccine has been criticised for unseemly haste, corner-cutting, and an absence of transparency,” wrote Professor Ian Jones and Professor Polly Roy in a comment published along with the Lancet paper.

"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.”

"Despite the earlier misgivings about the way this Russian Sputnik V vaccine was rolled out more widely - ahead of sufficient phase-three trial data - this approach has been justified to some extent now,” said clinical virologist Dr Julian Tang (University of Leicester).

Refilwe Moloto interviewed international correspondent Adam Gilchrist.

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A lot of people – us included – were sceptical... They began rolling it out before the final trial… The Lancet has now said the Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective…

Adam Gilchrist - international correspondent

The Lancet is the number one medical journal in the world…

Adam Gilchrist - international correspondent

We poohpoohed it… But I suppose if Vladimir Putin has his own daughter injected with it, it suggests he believes in the science. Some dodgy things go on in Russia… but they weren’t in the space-race without some knowhow and technology…

Adam Gilchrist - international correspondent

Listen to the interview in the audio below [skip to 2:41].

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