The vaccine construct against the omicron-strain of coronavirus has been assembled. This was told by the director of the Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after Gamaleya Alexander Gintsburg, writes RIA News…
It was made, as against all previous strains, but there is no reason to change the vaccine yet.
Currently, all copies are stored in the refrigerators of the center, he said.
An already known strain
Earlier, Gunzburg indicated that the decision on the possible adaptation of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine to the omicron-strain of coronavirus should appear in two weeks. “A conscious, scientifically grounded decision will be made whether something needs to be changed or not. I hope there will be no need to change anything, ”he said.
Related materials:
On December 10, it became known that the Gamaleya Center isolated the omicron strain from Russians infected with coronavirus. The head of the institution explained that this strain was detected in citizens who arrived from abroad. “Our specialists went to the hospital where the patients are, took smears and sequenced them,” he said.
Earlier, Rospotrebnadzor confirmed cases of the omicron strain in two Russians who flew from South Africa. In addition, at that time, the strains of coronavirus in 10 more tourists, whose PCR tests were positive, were still being determined.
Don’t rush
The Gamaleya Center has warned against revaccination against coronavirus every three months. Experts noted that the hasty worldwide introduction of three-month mRNA booster vaccines, which have not been tested in the long term, could have unintended health consequences. In addition, the scientists pointed out that the rapid transition to a three-month booster dose has not been used in any pandemic.
Related materials:
The center also drew attention to the fact that the decision to switch to a reduction in the inoculation interval emphasizes the short duration of the action of mRNA vaccines. Vaccines based on matrix ribonucleic acid (mRNA vaccines) are Pfizer and Moderna drugs produced in the West. The Russian “Sputnik V” was created on the basis of an adenovirus, and in the light of the emergence of the omicron-strain, it is not planned to reduce the time for re-vaccination after “Sputnik V”. The vaccine gives a wider spectrum of antibodies than other drugs for coronavirus, and a sharp change in the antigen is unlikely to occur, Gunzburg expressed confidence.
Earlier it was reported that the omicron-strain of the coronavirus became dominant at home in South Africa in November and is quickly replacing the delta variant of COVID-19. The head of the Ministry of Health said that 70 percent of all detected cases of infection with the virus are attributable to the new strain. The new variant of the virus is spreading rapidly.
On December 1, the chief infectious disease specialist of the United States, Anthony Fauci, announced that the omicron strain of the coronavirus could spread more easily. “The molecular profile of the mutation suggests it can be passed on more easily,” Fauci said. In addition, it is assumed that the new strain may partially escape protection from vaccines. “But we don’t know for sure … We need to be prepared,” he concluded.
#Gamaleya #Center #told #vaccine #omicron #strain