The two vaccines already approved in Russia provide protection against the more transmissible Coronavirus (COVID-19) variants first identified in Britain, said authorities in Moscow on Tuesday.
A comparative study showed that antibodies formed after vaccination with Sputnik V and EpiVacCorona also provide protection against the British variant, said consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor.
No tests have yet been carried out to ascertain whether the two vaccines also protect against the strain originating in South Africa.
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control has said that so far, there were no indications of reduced vaccine efficacy against the British variant, which is also spreading in Germany.
However, experts believe some vaccines are less effective against the South African variant.
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Sputnik V has been on the Russian market for six months and is now being used in over 15 countries, according to Moscow.
EpiVacCorona will not be used in Russia until March, it has previously stated. (dpa/NAN)
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