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Does the Russian vaccine for corona really work?

By and large - we have no way of knowing, because apart from the solemn declaration of the President of Russia, no reliable information has been published about the "first vaccine against Corona". Here's all we do know about the vaccine that was approved with alarming speed

• Corona
• Corona virus
• Russia

Walla! health

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced yesterday (Tuesday) that his country has approved the use of the world's first vaccine against the corona virus - less than two months after the start of human trials. Putin even announced that his daughter had received the vaccine herself, but despite expressing personal confidence in the new vaccine - experts around the world fear it is an unfounded and irresponsible report, mainly due to the fact that not enough reliable information has been released to thoroughly examine the data.

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According to Putin, the vaccine, known as Sputnik 5, named after the first satellite ever launched into space, "works quite efficiently, allows for strong immunity, and I repeat - it has passed all the required tests." The Russian health minister has said that the country will launch a mass vaccination campaign in the autumn, and that it will start vaccinating teachers and medical staff as early as this month.

However, world health authorities say the vaccine has not yet completed critical clinical trials to determine its safety and efficacy. In fact, around the world it is feared that Russia has skipped significant steps in getting the vaccine to overtake competitors - the US and China - in the race to get a vaccine to Corona, which could endanger the health of vaccinators. Vaccine safety and efficacy.

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As mentioned, the information flowing from Russia is very limited, but as far as is known, the vaccine in question did complete initial stages of experiments on monkeys and humans. The vaccine is being developed by the Gamlaia Institute in Moscow, where it is claimed that their vaccine is based on a plan by Russian scientists years ago to prevent the Ebola virus. This report, too, is received with skepticism, because very few studies by this scientific institute have been published or peer-reviewed.

The Russians skipped one very important step

In creating a vaccine, any vaccine, it is important to ensure its safety and therefore the process involves several steps. First, the animal vaccine is tested to see if it works and if it is safe. The next stage is clinical trials in humans, which are also divided into three stages - the first stage examines the safety of the vaccine in humans. In the second stage, the form of administration and dosages of the vaccine are determined to prove its effectiveness. Finally, in the third stage, the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in a large group of people must be proven.

The Russian scientific body that developed the vaccine has not yet conducted Phase 3 trials, but this final phase is the only way to know with statistical certainty whether a vaccine can prevent corona, and how effective it is. Because it tests a large group of people, a Phase 3 trial can also detect adverse effects and vaccine side effects that previous trials have not been able to detect. In addition to safety, make sure that the vaccine also ensures an effective and responsive immune response that also provides long-term protection. The vaccine should be effective at all ages, including young children and of course the older population, who on the one hand are at higher risk for corona complications and on the other hand respond less effectively to vaccines compared to the younger population.

Experts warn that improperly tested vaccines can cause a lot of damage - from harm to health, creating a false sense of security to eroding confidence in vaccines.