The State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology “Vector” of Rospotrebnadzor is currently conducting the first and second phases of clinical trials of three-time vaccination against coronavirus with the drug “EpiVacCorona”. This was announced by the head of the department of zoonotic infections and influenza Alexander Ryzhikov.
In a video posted on the Rospotrebnadzor’s Instagram account on May 5, he said that the three-time EpiVacCorona vaccination had already been carried out on primates in May last year, and they are still being monitored.
Another group of ferrets and guinea pigs were immunized in this way at the end of July. Ryzhikov noted that the effect of the increase and duration of immunity was confirmed, first of all, in primates.
He also added that EpiVacCorona “due to its harmlessness, is worthy of revaccination and possibly repeated.” Thanks to this, it will be possible to achieve a sufficient immune response, including among the elderly, Ryzhikov said.
According to the specialist, more than 90% of people develop immunity to COVID-19 after vaccination with EpiVacCorona.
Ryzhikov clarified that random studies are now being carried out among immunized groups, thanks to which it can be concluded that these figures are significantly more than 90%.
On May 2, Vektor announced that antibodies after vaccination with EpiVacCorona are capable of neutralizing the classic, South African and British strains of COVID-19. The effectiveness of the drug against the Indian strain of coronavirus infection will be tested after receiving samples.
The EpiVacCorona drug became the second Russian vaccine against coronavirus, it was registered on October 14, 2020. The Sputnik V vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Center was the first to be registered in the Russian Federation.
Since January 18, a large-scale vaccination against COVID-19 has been taking place in Russia. The vaccination is given free of charge to everyone.
All relevant information on the situation with the coronavirus is available on the websites of stopcoronavirus.rf and accessvsem.rf, as well as by the hashtag #WeVotte. Coronavirus hotline: 8-800-2000-112.