Russia’s Second COVID-19 Vaccine Allegedly 100% Effective Per Clinical Trials

Countries all over the world continue to race against time to determine the best COVID-19 vaccine available. Over in Russia, efforts are being made to come out with a cure of their own. And it appears their second one has been proven efficient.

The EpiVacCorona vaccine developed by Vector Institute of Siberia has reportedly shown 100% efficacy in early-stage trials, Reuters reported. The results released were part of Phase I and Phase II trials. However, a larger Phase III trial that involves thousands of participants could back this claim, one that would also involve a placebo group for comparison.

“The effectiveness of the vaccine is made up of its immunological effectiveness and preventative effectiveness,” the TASS news agency stated citing consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor. “According to results of the first and second phases of clinical trials, the immunological effectiveness of the EpiVacCorona vaccine is 100%.”

This development means that the EpiVacCorona vaccine is more effective compared to the first vaccine that came out. Sputnik V showed a 92% efficacy in protecting people based on interim results.

Mass production for the EpiVacCorona will commence in February 2021 according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatiana Golikova. She also added that these will be used in mass vaccinations from March.

"14 persons were vaccinated during the first phase, and 43 more during the second phase. Forty-three more volunteers from the placebo control group received a placebo," Rospotrebnadzor stated via Sputnik News.

As far as side effects, the watchdog also added that all volunteers who took part in the trials are feeling fine.

This should be good news in efforts to come up with a highly efficient COVID-19 vaccine. Aside from Russia, countries like India, UAE, Egypt, Venezuela and Belarus are also performing clinical trials. Also, inoculation has been registered in Algeria, Argentina, Belarus, Bolivia and Serbia.

As of this writing, Russia has 3,552,888 coronavirus cases and 65,059 COVID-19 deaths per Johns Hopkins University. The case count for Russia is the fourth-highest total in the world right now.