MOSCOW, September 10. /TASS/: The Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine’s efficacy against the Delta strain varies from 83 to 94%, depending on the calculation method, which is much higher than foreign-made vaccines, Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya Center, the vaccine developer, said on Friday.
"According to the health ministry, Sputnik V’s efficacy [against the Delta coronavirus strain] ranges from 83 to 94%, depending on the indices used and the calculation method. At the same time, Pfizer’s and Moderna’s efficacy, according to the US and Israeli universities, varied from slightly more than 40 to 52%," he said.
According to Gintsburg, the epidemiological situation after the emergence of the Delta variant "has actually zeroes out the vaccine market." He noted that the billion people across the globe who have been inoculated with foreign vaccines would need revaccination to raise their antibody levels.
He also said that 70 to 75% of the country’s population needed to be immunized to make any respiratory infection, including the novel coronavirus infection, vaccine preventable. Nevertheless, it is necessary to monitor newly emerging strains to be sure that the existing vaccines are efficient against them.