Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer health watchdog, has reported that Russia's new Covid-19 vaccine, EpiVacCorona, is 100% effective after clinical trials.
The news, originally reported via the Russian state news agency TASS and now also reported by Reuters, raises the bar on the vaccine issue.
And it appears to be a boost for the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination campaigns, which are already seeing the launch of the now-known first iteration, the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.
Launch of the COVID-19 vaccine in Russia
Russia began mass testing of the new EpiVacCorona only in November. Developed by the Vector Institute in Siberia, the Russian vaccine will be the second approved by Moscow after Sputnik V.
Clinical reports say the Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective in protecting people from COVID-19.
Although Sputnik V has a high rate of effectiveness, the paths have not gone completely smooth: Russian newspapers pointed out that 20 volunteers contracted Covid during the trial.
It remains to be seen whether the Russian government will choose to focus most of its efforts on introducing EpiVacCorona, with its higher efficacy rate, or whether it will focus on a faster campaign by increasing the rate of vaccinations with greater supplies of both the vaccines.
Russian vaccine EpiVacCorona: comparisons with other vaccines
EpiVacCorona is a Russian single-component peptide vaccine that has components in common with other vaccines, but also its peculiarities. Aside from the aforementioned 100% effectiveness, there is the broad coverage that would include a recall every 3 years.
The Sputnik V and EpiVaCorona vaccines are, of course, not the only ones administered to populations around the world.
Il Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine COVID-19, developed in a collaboration between German and US scientists, received emergency use authorization on December 11. In Phase III trials, it showed 95% effectiveness. This vaccine must be stored at -94 degrees F (-70 degrees C), which requires specialized freezing units.
Il Modern vaccine, developed by an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, was cleared by the FDA on December 19. Declared a rate of 94,5% efficacy.
The vaccine AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford showed preliminary results that suggested a efficacy up to 90%, with the first dose it would have provided 70% protection.
With a recent study stating that COVID-19 immunity likely lasts for years, the continued development and roll out of COVID-19 vaccines around the world points to a gradual relaxation of restrictions.
