Sputnik V can be Quickly adapted to fight new South African Coronavirus strain, says RDIF
Kirill Dmitriev stressed the importance of cooperation in the development of vaccines, in particular the possibility of combining them
Russia’s Sputnik V jab, if necessary, can be quickly adjusted to take on a new strain of coronavirus found in South Africa, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev said in an interview .
“We can quickly adapt the vaccine to the new variant of the coronavirus, if it is required,” he said.
“We do believe that Sputnik V is for the moment the most effective vaccine against mutations of the coronavirus,” he added.
Dmitriev stressed the importance of cooperation in the development of vaccines, in particular the possibility of combining them.
He recalled that earlier on Friday he had had a meeting with Chinese colleagues to cooperate on developing combination of vaccines.
“We are open to partnerships and believe that vaccine combinations are a good idea for humanity,” the RDIF chief said.
The first person infected with the B.1.1.529 coronavirus strain was detected recently in Botswana. According to a local radio station, he is a South African national. Most of those carrying this coronavirus variant have so far been identified in South Africa. There are 77 of them.
According to preliminary findings by local scientists, the B.1.1.529 strain is capable of infecting fully vaccinated people. However, this is only an assumption so far. The latest results of the research on the new strain are to be made public at an emergency meeting of the WHO on Friday. The new variant of coronavirus must also derive its official name from the letter of the Greek alphabet.
