Sputnik V jab’s efficiency against new Omicron variant hits about 75%

The Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine’s efficacy against the Omicron variant stands at about 75%, Director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology Alexander Gintsburg said on Tuesday.

"In total, the efficacy of the Sputnik V vaccine against the Omicron variant hits 75%. If one is revaccinated <…> with Sputnik Light, the protection against Omicron will reach 100%," the expert stated during the XVI International Congress on Reproductive Medicine.

Gintsburg noted that in people who did not receive booster vaccines, Sputnik V’s efficacy stood at about 56-57% after six months. "So, it is clear that the Health Ministry’s recommendations on the need to revaccinate with Sputnik Light every six months are fully justified and supported by data," the expert noted.

"The decrease in Sputnik V’s [effectiveness] in countering the Omicron variant is eightfold, which is still sufficient [for protection] <…>, while other jabs demonstrate <…> a 21-fold decrease. The difference is obvious. Thus, we can say that currently, we have a highly efficient vaccine, which <…> can completely protect our population [thanks to] a boosting component," the Russian expert assured. He mentioned that Sputnik Light could be used as a booster vaccine not only after Sputnik V but also after other jabs.