Feb 2, 2021 - World

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is highly effective, study finds

Dave Lawler

Receiving the vaccine, in Sochi. Photo: Dmitry Feoktistov\TASS via Getty Images

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine demonstrated nearly 92% efficacy against symptomatic cases of COVID-19 and provided complete protection against severe cases, according to a peer-reviewed analysis of a large clinical trial published in the medical journal the Lancet. The vaccine also appears to be safe.

Why it matters: This is the strongest evidence to date that the Russian vaccine is one of several highly-effective options in the global mix. Russia is almost entirely dependent on Sputnik V to vaccinate its own population, and over a dozen other countries have purchased doses.

That number is likely to continue to rise, though Russia has thus far struggled to ramp up its manufacturing capacity.
Russia hopes to vaccinate 60% of its population by year's end, per WSJ.

Flashback: Vladimir Putin announced in August that the vaccine had been approved despite very limited data, and then in November the state-run Gamaleya Research Institute claimed it was 92% effective, without initially providing supporting data.

Both announcements were met with a great deal of international skepticism. But those doubts will be at least partially assuaged by the findings released on Tuesday.

Go deeper: The global line for coronavirus vaccines stretches back to 2023

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Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is highly effective, study finds

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